Originally posted October 21, 2026 at 3:20 p.m. CDT.
HOOD COUNTY EXPRESS | NATIONAL BREAKING NEWS
U.S. Orders Non-Emergency Staff Out Of Saudi Arabia
October 21st, 2026AD
The State Department has ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Wednesday in a post on X, Reuters reported.
In the State Department post, Pigott said the order covers "Saudi Arabia only." He called "inaccurate" a post saying the department was preparing an ordered departure at U.S. embassies across the Gulf.
WHY
"Iranian-supported 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 disruptions," the State Department spokesperson said.
The U.S. embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday about possible further attacks by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia, after recent deadly strikes including on Riyadh's airport, Reuters reported.
WHAT THE WIRES REPORT
Reuters, citing U.S. officials, reported that the department is also planning to move out family members from a number of other U.S. missions in the Gulf.
Four U.S. officials told Reuters that missions in other Gulf states would also be ordering family members to leave.
AFP, citing a diplomatic source, reported that "all American staff and their families have been ordered to depart from the US embassy in Saudi Arabia."
The source told AFP that families of embassy staff in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain were also ordered to leave.
BACKGROUND
Washington had returned some diplomatic personnel to the region in recent months, Reuters reported. Many were pulled out when Tehran launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. facilities after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
"The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them," the State Department spokesperson said.
SOURCES
- U.S. Department of State: https://x.com/statedeptspox/status/2112988488379273237
