The U.S. State Department has ordered non-essential U.S. embassy personnel to leave Saudi Arabia following an increase in attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants.
The U.S. military has also been quietly reducing its outposts in the Middle East amid ongoing regional threats from the Houthis and direct threats from Iran, a U.S. official and a senior U.S. military official told CBS News on Wednesday.
The State Department has “only issued a departure order for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families in Saudi Arabia,” spokesman Tommy Pigott wrote in a post on Wednesday, rebutting reports that the order may apply to other Gulf states.
CBS News has learned that several other embassies have adjusted staffing under “restricted movement” status, but have not yet implemented ordered departures, the mandatory evacuation of designated diplomats and accompanying family members due to security risks.
The department introduced a restricted movement status in August as the war with Iran broke out, allowing the embassy to reduce staffing and services without completely suspending operations.
The decision follows U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other countries to reduce their presence in Saudi Arabia. Warning issued over the weekendurging Americans in the region to remain cautious and prepare for travel disruptions caused by Houthi attacks.
“The Iran-backed Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruption,” Piggott said on Wednesday.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have launched drones and missiles at airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, including Strike breaks out at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport The attack killed 12 people and injured more than 300 earlier this month. Among the victims was an American.
The attacks continued, with the Saudi-led military coalition reporting the interception of multiple Houthi drones on Monday and Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said on Tuesday that air defense systems prevented a drone attack on the kingdom’s Sheba oil fields. Falling debris killed two people and injured two others, according to the agency, which did not specify who launched the drone.
At the same time, the Houthis are trying to expand their territorial control over Yemen. For more than a decade, the group has controlled large swaths of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
Some Saudi officials blame Iran for the actions of the Houthis, who are allied with the Islamic Republic. Iran denies any involvement in the escalation.
The conflict could cause problems beyond Saudi Arabia because of the Houthis’ proximity to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a critical maritime chokepoint through which a large portion of the world’s oil flows. The Strait of Hormuz has become even more important in recent months due to the damage caused by the U.S.-Iran war.
Ambassador Marwan Ali Noman, political adviser to the Yemeni foreign minister, warned in an interview with CBS News on Tuesday that the Houthis may continue to launch attacks unless confronted.
“We fight on behalf of everyone because the threats and risks from the Houthis will expand,” Norman said, adding that the Yemeni government was seeking international assistance.
Britain has provided support to Saudi Arabia, including defensive air operations.
It is unclear whether the Trump administration also plans to aid Saudi Arabia. President Trump did not rule out an attack on the Houthis following their deadly attack on Riyadh airport on October 10, telling reporters: “We may do that.”
“We talked to the Houthis and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said earlier this month. “But what they did was terrible.”