--- title: "US Begins Evacuating Diplomats and Their Families from Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Airport Strikes" description: "The U.S. State Department has ordered some diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia due to Houthi airport attacks. According to Reuters, families may also be evacuated from other Gulf nations." date: 2026-10-22T00:29:02.047Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-evacuates-diplomats-from-saudi-arabia-houthi-strikes tags: [us-state-department, saudi-arabia, houthis, yemen, iran, persian-gulf] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Begins Evacuating Diplomats and Their Families from Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Airport Strikes ![Armed fighter with a Palestinian scarf over his face against the background of flags and rifles](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/22/ssha-evakuiroiut-diplomatov-iz-saudovskoy-aravii-iz-za-udarov-husitov/ssha-evakuiroiut-diplomatov-iz-saudovskoy-aravii-iz-za-udarov-husitov-1.webp) ## Key Points - The U.S. State Department ordered non-essential staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia; the order is formally restricted to the kingdom. - On October 10 and 11, the Houthis attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh twice: reports indicate 13 people died and over 320 were injured. - According to the WSJ, Iran provided intelligence to help the Houthis target strikes; Reuters reports that diplomatic families may also be evacuated from other Gulf states. The US Department of State has ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel and family members of diplomatic missions from Saudi Arabia amid intensifying attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement. According to a department spokesperson, the decision formally applies only to the kingdom; however, Reuters reports that similar measures may affect diplomatic missions in other Gulf countries. ### Scope of the Order and Washington's Stance State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott clarified that the directive applies to U.S. government employees who do not perform critical functions and their family members. He emphasized that the official order applies exclusively to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, four U.S. officials told Reuters that U.S. diplomatic missions in other countries in the region will also send employees' families home; the department spokesperson did not mention other nations in his public statement. ### Series of Strikes on Riyadh Airports According to Pigott, the Iran-backed Houthis have increasingly targeted Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and severe disruptions to transport. On October 10, a strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309 others; flights were diverted, and airport operations were halted. The following day, the Houthis attacked the airport again: an unidentified projectile hit the terminal, sparking a fire that left one person dead and 11 injured. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh warned on Wednesday of possible further attacks. ### Iran's Role and Regional Context According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran assisted the Houthis in these attacks, providing intelligence and helping guide missiles and drones toward oil tankers, energy facilities, and Saudi airports. The escalation in Yemen has become another front in the regional conflict that began in late February with the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. At that time, Tehran attacked U.S. facilities in the region, most diplomats were evacuated, and the embassy in Riyadh and the CIA station located there were hit by drone strikes in early March. CBS News broadcast footage of the damage at U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. ### What's Next Washington, according to Reuters reports, is considering evacuating the families of diplomatic personnel from other Gulf countries. Formally, however, the current State Department order is limited to Saudi Arabia, and the expansion of the evacuation geography has not yet been publicly confirmed. ## Accounts differ ### Geography of the diplomatic family evacuation order - **U.S. Department of State (Spokesperson Tommy Pigott):** The official evacuation order applies exclusively to Saudi Arabia. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-evakuyuyut-chastinu-diplomativ-iz-saudivskoyi-1792628633.html)) - **Four U.S. officials (citing Reuters):** U.S. diplomatic missions in other Gulf countries will also send employees' families home. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-evakuyuyut-chastinu-diplomativ-iz-saudivskoyi-1792628633.html)) *Where they agree:* The evacuation of some personnel and family members from Saudi Arabia is confirmed; the order applies to non-essential staff. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [США эвакуируют часть дипломатов из Саудовской Аравии из-за ударов хуситов](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-evakuyuyut-chastinu-diplomativ-iz-saudivskoyi-1792628633.html) - Primary source: State Department order, Pigott's quote, Reuters data on other Gulf countries, casualties from Oct 10–11 strikes, Iran's role per WSJ. - [США срочно выводят дипломатов из Саудовской Аравии: чего опасаются в Вашингтоне](https://tsn.ua/ru/svit/ssha-srochno-vyvodyat-diplomatov-iz-saudovskoy-aravii-chego-opasayutsya-v-vashingtone-3196283.html) - Confirms the evacuation of some personnel and families, the limitation of the order to Saudi Arabia, and the consideration of family evacuations from other Gulf states. - [В Вашингтон прибыл с визитом наследный принц Саудовской Аравии Мухаммед ибн Салман](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B5/20251118-%D0%B2-%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BD-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B1%D1%8B%D0%BB-%D1%81-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BC-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%86-%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B9-%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D1%83%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4-%D0%B8%D0%B1%D0%BD-%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD) - Подтверждено по источнику rfi.fr - [Появились кадры разрушений на базах США в Саудовской Аравии и Кувейте](https://news.mail.ru/svo/72373808/) - CBS News showed footage of damage at U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait — used as context. ## FAQ ### Who specifically does the evacuation order apply to? According to the State Department spokesperson, the directive applies to U.S. government employees not performing critical tasks and their family members in Saudi Arabia. ### Does the order extend to other Gulf countries? Formally, according to the State Department spokesperson, the order applies only to Saudi Arabia. At the same time, four U.S. officials told Reuters that diplomatic missions in other countries in the region will also send employees' families home. ### Which Houthi strikes triggered the decision? On October 10, a strike on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and injured 309; on October 11, a repeated attack caused one death and 11 injuries. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh warned of potential new attacks.