U.S. pulls diplomats from Saudi Arabia as it reportedly readies Iran strikes after midterms

The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia following a surge in Houthi attacks. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the order on X, specifying that the withdrawal applies only to those in Saudi Arabia. The National UAE reports that Pigott denied claims that the order extends to diplomatic families in the wider region, such as in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, or the UAE.

The move comes after several strikes attributed to the Iran-backed Houthis. Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority reported an attack late Wednesday on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, which resulted in one death and eight injuries. Additionally, the Energy Ministry stated that two people died earlier on Wednesday when air defenses intercepted a drone targeting the Saudi Aramco Shaybah oilfield.

Following the news of the airport attack, oil prices rose, with Brent climbing above $110 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate trading at approximately $98. Pigott noted that the Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian airports that have caused severe travel disruptions and deaths.

Brief written by urgent.news from CNBC World, CNBC, Channel News Asia, The National UAE, The National Business — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.