The US State Department has ordered non-essential government personnel and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, effective October 23, citing security risks linked to attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group, according to a security alert issued by the US mission in the kingdom.
In an alert published on Sunday, October 25, the US mission said the Iran-backed Houthis had carried out hostile actions against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and significant disruptions to air travel.
The mission warned that hostilities could escalate rapidly and spread to additional areas. It also said US government personnel in Saudi Arabia now require special authorization from the chief of mission to use any airport in the kingdom, following recent missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi airports.
Flight Restrictions and Travel Warnings
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott announced the departure order on Wednesday via the social media platform X. Agence France-Presse, citing a diplomatic source, reported that some family members of US embassy staff were also being withdrawn from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. Pigott, however, said the official departure order applied only to Saudi Arabia.
According to the security alert, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh partially resumed operations on October 25, handling domestic flights and some international services operated by Saudi carriers. A limited number of regular flights are also operating from Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim.
The Riyadh airport has designated Terminal 1 for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights operated by national carriers. Its operations were suspended on October 10 following an attack claimed by the Houthis that reportedly killed 13 people.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam remain operational, although some delays and cancellations have been reported.
The US mission urged American citizens to exercise extreme caution when using Saudi airports and remain alert to the possibility of further attacks, airspace closures and flight cancellations. Travelers were advised to confirm flight schedules directly with airlines and airports.
Houthis Renew Warning Over Riyadh Airport
Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree renewed a warning to airlines, airport employees and travelers against using Riyadh airport, describing it as a “military target,” according to Reuters.
On Saturday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks targeting three Saudi airports within 24 hours: those in Riyadh, Dammam and Najran. They also reported targeting two oil facilities, a pipeline and the Khamis Mushait airbase. Neither side had publicly commented on those reported attacks, according to Gulf News.
On Sunday, the Saudi-led military coalition announced that it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh, followed by the interception and destruction of 10 additional ballistic missiles that it said had been fired toward the kingdom’s southern region.
The developments have heightened concerns about a potential expansion of attacks and their impact on civilian aviation and passenger safety across the region.
