The US State Department has announced that Washington has ordered non-essential personnel at the US Embassy and their families to leave Saudi Arabia.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Wednesday night, October 21, that the decision was made in response to deadly Houthi attacks on the kingdom.
According to the report, a diplomatic source said all US personnel and their families had been instructed to leave the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia.
The source added that the families of embassy staff had also been ordered to leave the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain, all of which have been targeted by Iran during the Middle East war.
Meanwhile, Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the US State Department, confirmed the order but said it applied only to “non-emergency US government personnel and their family members in Saudi Arabia.”
He linked the measure to Houthi attacks on the country, including attacks targeting airports, and said: “The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority.”
Saudi Arabia has faced Houthi attacks on nearly a daily basis this month.
