The US State Department has ordered the departure of all non-emergency embassy staff and their family members from Saudi Arabia, as Houthi attacks on the kingdom escalate and Washington quietly scales back its military footprint across the Gulf. Officials moved quickly on Wednesday to deny reports of a wider Gulf-wide evacuation, insisting the departure order applies only to Saudi Arabia.
According to officials, the ordered departure covers US government personnel at the embassy in Riyadh and consulates in the kingdom whose presence is not deemed essential. The decision follows a string of Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil and military targets that have rattled regional capitals and sent crude prices above $110 a barrel this week.
Washington Denies Region-Wide Evacuation
State Department officials said the measure is a precaution tied specifically to the deteriorating security picture in Saudi Arabia, not a prelude to evacuations from other Gulf states. Diplomats stressed that embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain remain fully staffed, pushing back against social media claims of a broader American pullback from the region.
The clarification came as the Pentagon acknowledged it is quietly reducing troop levels at some regional bases, repositioning forces as the Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping intensifies. The drawdown, officials said, reflects a recalibration rather than a retreat, with remaining forces focused on air defense and force protection.
Houthi Attacks Drive the Decision
The Houthis have dramatically expanded their strike campaign in recent weeks, hitting Saudi oil infrastructure and Yemeni government positions alike. The attacks have drawn the United States and its allies deeper into the kingdom’s defense, with British Typhoon jets already deployed to help shield Saudi airspace.
Analysts say the departure order signals that Washington now treats Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia as a sustained campaign rather than a passing spike. “This is the State Department telling its own people the threat is real and ongoing,” one former regional official said. The order will remain in effect until security conditions improve, officials said, declining to give a timeline for when staff might return.
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