Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
State Department orders non-essential US embassy staff, families to leave Saudi Arabia
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleWashington has ordered non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, the State Department says, as the kingdom comes under sustained deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott says on X that the order applies to “non-emergency US government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only.”
He links the move to Houthi attacks on the country, including airports, saying “the safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority.”
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