The United States has ordered non-essential government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, raising concerns about a widening regional conflict and the security of critical infrastructure in the Gulf.

The US State Department confirmed the departure order on Wednesday, citing increasingly frequent Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure that have caused casualties and significant travel disruptions. The move comes as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.

Deadly Attacks Target Airport and Oil Infrastructure

The latest violence has struck two strategically important locations in Saudi Arabia.

An attack at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed one person and injured eight others, according to Saudi aviation authorities. The incident added to growing concerns over the safety of civilian aviation as the kingdom faces repeated attacks.

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry reported that two people were killed after air defences intercepted a drone targeting a facility at the Shaybah oilfield operated by Saudi Aramco. Debris from the interception reportedly caused a fire outside the facility’s perimeter.

The attacks highlight the vulnerability of Saudi Arabia’s transport and energy infrastructure as hostilities intensify.

Washington Raises Security Precautions

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the order applied specifically to non-emergency US government employees and their families in Saudi Arabia. He said the safety of diplomatic personnel and their relatives remained a priority.

Although four US officials told Reuters that missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave, the State Department subsequently clarified that the formal ordered departure applied to Saudi Arabia only. Reports of a wider evacuation order should therefore be treated with caution.

The US Embassy in Riyadh has also warned of the possibility of further Houthi attacks. Washington had previously withdrawn some diplomatic personnel from the region after Iranian attacks on US facilities following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran in late February.

The latest departure order signals heightened concern about the potential for further attacks against US personnel and regional partners.

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