US orders non-emergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia over security risks

Buildings and construction sites fill the skyline, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 14, 2026. (AP/Baraa Anwer)
Buildings and construction sites fill the skyline, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 14, 2026. (AP/Baraa Anwer)

The United States orders non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks, the US embassy in Riyadh says, citing Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure.

US government employees require special authorization to use Saudi airports following recent missile and drone attacks, the embassy says, warning US citizens of potential further attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruptions.

The fighting between Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government has intensified in recent weeks, opening a volatile new front in the wider US-Israeli war on Iran.

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