US orders a number of diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia amid Houthi threat
The US Embassy in Riyadh. File photo: Reuters
At least one person died in an attack on an airport in Dammam, an eastern Saudi city, on Wednesday, as Washington directed some diplomats and their family members to depart the Gulf nation.
Saudi Arabia’s renewed conflict with the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels has escalated in recent weeks, with the Yemeni group launching attacks on several major airports across the kingdom.
What Do We Know About the Attack on Dammam Airport?
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority reported that an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday evening left one person dead and eight others injured.
The authority also stated on X that officials were evaluating the extent of the physical damage to the airport.
It did not identify those responsible for the strike, while the Houthis have not claimed responsibility.
Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 reported that departing flights were being redirected as airport operations were suspended.
Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry announced that its forces had intercepted a drone aimed at an oil facility. However, falling debris killed two people and wounded two others. The ministry identified the deceased as nationals of the Philippines and Nepal.
US State Department Orders Partial Withdrawal from Saudi Mission
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the department had directed non-essential personnel and their family members at the US Embassy in Riyadh to leave the country.
“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,” Pigott wrote on X.
Reuters and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that similar instructions had been issued for other Gulf countries. AFP named the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.
Pigott rejected those reports, describing them as “inaccurate” and clarifying that the departure order applied only to US personnel in Saudi Arabia.
The United States has issued comparable evacuation directives several times this year amid the war involving Iran and Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia in retaliation for the US-Israeli war against Tehran.
A four-year truce between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels broke down during the Iran war, with Saudi Arabia facing attacks on an almost daily basis this month.
(Source: DW)
