US diplomats and families of government employees are being withdrawn from Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, which officials attribute to Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. The drawdown follows a series of near-daily strikes, including a fatal assault on an airport and oil facility, raising concerns about regional stability. Similar evacuations have reportedly been ordered in other Gulf nations, including the UAE, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain, as tensions with Iran appear to heighten in the aftermath of the US midterm elections. The State Department has emphasized that the safety of personnel remains its top priority.
Reports emerge of similar withdrawals in UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain amid concerns about a return to conflict with Iran after US midterm electionsThe US state department has ordered some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia, as the gulf kingdom faces a barrage of near-daily attacks, with at least three people killed at an airport and oilfield on Wednesday evening.Attacks on “civilian airports and other critical infrastructure” by the Iranian-supported Houthis in Yemen were highlighted as the reason for the drawdown. State department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: “The safety and security of department personnel and their families remain our highest priority.” Continue reading...
