US orders departure of diplomats from Saudi Arabia amid Houthi strikes

The U.S. government has instructed its diplomats and the families of government employees to depart Saudi Arabia due to a series of deadly assaults by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, coupled with mounting concerns of a potential escalation in hostilities. The State Department announced on Wednesday that it has directed the withdrawal of non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and its affiliated consulates.

The embassy had been severely damaged at the inception of the Iran conflict and had been operating with a minimal staff for several months, although a select few diplomats had returned in recent times. In a fresh travel advisory, the department cautioned, "Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, involving attacks on civilian airports and other essential infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and significant travel disruptions. These hostilities have the potential to rapidly escalate beyond the immediate region."

Additionally, preceding advisories for Saudi Arabia over the past few days have shared a similar message, emphasizing that U.S. government personnel require explicit authorization to utilize any Saudi airport. The Houthis have historically targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, which remained closed since October 10 following a severe assault.

However, earlier on Wednesday, aircraft from a limited number of Saudi airlines managed to take off and land at the airport after Saudi aviation authorities granted prior permission. Despite this, major carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France have suspended flights to Riyadh until mid-November. Some Saudi airlines, including Saudia and FlyNas, were among the operators of flights on Wednesday.