US orders non-emergency diplomats and families to leave Saudi Arabia over Houthi attacks
Washington has ordered non-emergency staff and their families out of its embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Saudi Arabia, warning that Houthi attacks on airports and oil sites could escalate quickly.
At a glance
- The US State Department on Wednesday, October 21, ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia.
- The order covers the embassy in Riyadh and its consulates; spokesman Tommy Pigott said it applies to Saudi Arabia only.
- A new US security alert warns that Houthi hostilities against Saudi Arabia could escalate rapidly.
- Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport has been largely closed since October 10 after a deadly Houthi strike.
- Other US embassies in the Gulf remain under restricted operations, with temporary staffing changes.
The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, as attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on Saudi airports, oil facilities and cities continue. The State Department announced the ordered departure on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, covering the US Embassy in Riyadh and its consulates, and warned that the fighting "could escalate rapidly".
What the US announced
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the department had ordered the departure of "non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only". He said the Iran-aligned Houthis had increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure that have caused casualties and serious travel disruption.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Decision | Ordered departure (mandatory) of non-emergency staff and family members |
| Date | Wednesday, October 21, 2026 |
| Posts covered | US Embassy Riyadh and its consulates in Saudi Arabia |
| Reason given | Houthi attacks on airports and critical infrastructure |
| Other Gulf embassies | Not covered; remain under "restricted operations" |
| Airport rule for US staff | Special permission needed to use any Saudi airport |
On the same day, the embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert warning of possible further Houthi attacks. It said the hostilities "have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area". Earlier alerts in recent days had already told US government personnel that they need special permission to use any airport in the kingdom.
An ordered departure is stricter than an "authorised departure", in which staff may choose to leave. The embassy keeps working with a reduced team of essential staff, and emergency services for US citizens continue.
Other Gulf missions
There were conflicting accounts about the rest of the region. Some US officials, speaking anonymously, said family members would also be moved out of several other Gulf missions. Pigott called earlier claims that Washington was withdrawing staff and families from embassies throughout the Gulf "inaccurate". The department says other Gulf embassies are already working under restricted operations, which limit how many people work there, and will see temporary staffing changes.
Background: the Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia
Fighting between the Houthis and Yemen's Saudi-backed government resumed in mid-July after a long truce collapsed, and the Houthis have since carried out a series of missile and drone attacks inside Saudi Arabia.
- Riyadh airport: King Khalid International Airport has been largely closed since October 10 after a severe attack that killed at least 12 people. The Houthis claimed it, alleging without evidence that the airport was used to supply weapons to Yemeni government forces.
- Oil fields: Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said debris from an intercepted drone killed two workers, from Nepal and the Philippines, and injured a Pakistani and an Indian worker at an Aramco-operated field in the south-east.
- Wednesday's attacks: Early on October 21 the Houthis launched five drones towards Saudi Arabia; the Saudi-led coalition said all were intercepted over Madinah and the Eastern Region.
- Yemen: A Houthi missile strike on a government training camp in Shabwa this week killed more than 50 recruits.
The embassy in Riyadh was badly damaged at the start of the US–Israeli war with Iran in late February and had run with a skeleton staff for months. Some diplomats had returned only recently. Saudi officials have accused Iran of encouraging the Houthi escalation, which Tehran denies.
Flights and travel
Saudi aviation authorities told airlines this week that they could resume flights at Riyadh with prior permission. On Wednesday a limited number of Saudi carriers, including Saudia and flynas, flew in and out of the capital. Several European airlines have cancelled Riyadh flights until mid-November. Saudi Arabia has also postponed its flagship investment conference and some international sporting events because of the attacks.
Why it matters
The order is the clearest sign yet that Washington sees the Houthi threat to Saudi Arabia as serious and growing. It comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted and oil prices stay volatile.
For South Asia the stakes are high. Saudi Arabia is home to more than two million Pakistanis and about the same number of Indians, and remittances from the kingdom are a major source of foreign currency for both countries. Pakistan also has troops deployed in Saudi Arabia under its defence agreement with Riyadh. Pakistani and Indian workers have already been hurt in attacks on oil sites. Travellers, including Umrah pilgrims, should check flight status with their airline before travelling and follow guidance from their embassy.
What happens next
The State Department reviews ordered departures regularly, usually every 30 days, and staff return only when the security situation improves. Mediators are working on a wider deal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports, which could also ease pressure on the Saudi–Houthi front. Until then, US citizens in Saudi Arabia are being urged to review their security plans and enrol with the embassy's alert system.
Questions people are asking
Why did the US order diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia?
The State Department said Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have increasingly attacked Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports and critical infrastructure. It ordered non-emergency staff and families out on October 21, 2026 because of the security risk.
Does the US order apply to the UAE, Qatar and other Gulf countries?
No. The State Department said the ordered departure covers Saudi Arabia only. US embassies in other Gulf states remain under restricted operations, and some temporary staffing changes are expected there.
Is Riyadh airport open?
King Khalid International Airport has been largely shut since a severe Houthi attack on October 10. Since October 21 a limited number of Saudi airlines, including Saudia and flynas, have been flying in and out with prior permission, while several European airlines have cancelled Riyadh flights until mid-November.
