US Orders Non-Essential Personnel Out of Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Threat
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has ordered non-essential personnel and their families to leave the country due to fears of escalating Houthi attacks. The advisory comes after a deadly attack on Riyadh's airport, the fourth in a week, which killed 13 and injured 309. International airlines are reducing flights, and the conflict is destabilizing the region amid broader U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- U.S. orders non-essential personnel to leave Saudi Arabia due to Houthi threat.
- Riyadh airport attack killed 13 and injured 309, the fourth strike in a week.
- International airlines are reducing or suspending flights to Saudi Arabia.
- The conflict is destabilizing the Middle East amid U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran.
- Renewed fighting in Yemen has broken a UN-brokered ceasefire.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has instructed non-essential government employees and their families to depart the country due to concerns over escalating Houthi attacks and potential further strikes. The advisory, issued amid the ongoing conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, urges U.S. citizens in the Kingdom to exercise increased vigilance, avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, and stay away from areas with significant police presence.
In the event of an aerial attack, citizens are advised to move away from windows and glass doors, and to stay informed about local authorities' directives. The embassy specifically referenced a recent attack on Riyadh's airport that killed 13 people and injured 309, including nationals from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the U.S., Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Palestine. This marked the fourth attack on the airport in less than a week, with previous strikes resulting in civilian casualties and damage to a Saudia aircraft.
Several international airlines have already reduced or suspended flights to Saudi Arabia. Reuters reports that the conflict is destabilizing the Middle East, particularly in light of the U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran, making Saudi Arabia a focal point of the broader war. Saudi Arabia recently intensified its strikes against the Houthis after the group seized strategic areas along the Red Sea coast last month, approaching the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical chokepoint for maritime trade and oil transport. This renewed fighting in Yemen has effectively shattered the UN-brokered ceasefire that had largely held since 2022.
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