US Orders Nonessential Staff, Families to Leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi Threat Grows

The U.S. has ordered nonessential government personnel and their family members in Saudi Arabia to leave the country as security concerns mount after a string of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on airports and other critical facilities.

Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesperson, wrote on X on October 21 that Washington had directed government employees in Saudi Arabia other than essential personnel, along with their families, to depart. He said the Iran-backed Houthis were becoming increasingly hostile toward Saudi Arabia, including through attacks on civilian airports and other key infrastructure that have caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.

Reuters had earlier reported, citing three U.S. officials, that the U.S. government was preparing to evacuate some embassy staff and family members from posts in the Gulf region. The report said the move was driven by the possibility of renewed armed clashes with the Houthis. The State Department disputed that report as inaccurate, but confirmed the departure order for Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis have recently expanded attacks on major Saudi facilities, including Riyadh airport. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh has also warned of the possibility of further strikes. Attention is now focused on whether Washington will resume military operations against the Houthis, though the latest evacuation announcement did not officially confirm any restart.

President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on October 13 that "the Houthi rebels are behaving very badly" and that "I'll still be here after the election, and I will never forget." The remark was interpreted as leaving open the possibility of a response after the midterm elections.

The U.S. carried out airstrikes against the Houthis for several months beginning early last year. Clashes between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have also intensified again since an airstrike on Sanaa airport in July. The Houthis' declaration at the time that a truce had ended has shaken the easing of tensions that had held since the 2022 ceasefire.