US Orders Personnel Departure From Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Attacks

The United States Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency government employees and their families from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The move follows a surge in drone and missile attacks by the Houthi Movement targeting critical infrastructure and civilian airports, including a strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed at least 13 people and wounded over 300. Additional casualties were reported at an Aramco-operated oil field in southeast Saudi Arabia.

While the mandatory departure order is currently limited to Saudi Arabia, U.S. embassies across the Gulf region are operating under restricted staffing. The United States Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert as officials considered the possibility of a full evacuation of the mission.

President Donald Trump is weighing direct U.S. military strikes against the Houthi Movement in response to the escalation. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia has requested additional missile interceptors from Washington. International allies have also responded to the crisis, with the Government of the United Kingdom deploying Typhoon fighter jets to defend Saudi cities and Egypt providing assistance.