US pulls personnel from Saudi Arabia as kingdom comes under Houthi fire

U.S. Government Orders Employees and Families to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Houthi Attacks

Washington – The Trump administration has issued a directive for non‑emergency U.S. government personnel and their families to evacuate Saudi Arabia after a surge of missile and drone strikes from the Iran‑backed Houthi movement. The move comes as Saudi authorities face mounting threats to airports, energy infrastructure, and civilian life.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the evacuation order on Wednesday, clarifying that it applies only to personnel in Saudi Arabia. “The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non‑emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only,” Pigott said in a statement. He added that Washington was not preparing a broader Gulf‑wide evacuation of diplomatic staff, countering reports of a wider pull‑back.

The directive follows a dramatic uptick in Houthi attacks. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, Houthi strikes on Saudi territory more than doubled in a single week earlier this month. Targets included airports in Riyadh, Jizan, Najran, Dammam and Abha. The most destructive assault struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing at least 13 people and wounding over 300.

“The 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 said. The attacks have prompted Saudi officials to request additional missile interceptors from Washington, a request echoed by allies Israel and the United Kingdom.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the United States is aware of Saudi, Israeli and U.K. interest in interceptors. “We also talked to Saudi Arabia today; they'd like interceptors. Israel would like interceptors. We would like interceptors. Every country in the world would like interceptors,” Rubio said. He described the weapon system as “probably the most in‑demand product right now in the defense field,” while acknowledging that U.S. officials must balance allies’ requests against domestic needs.

In response to the escalating threats, the United Kingdom announced the deployment of Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help protect cities and critical infrastructure. Egypt has also offered military assistance, while Israel has extended an offer of help to the kingdom.

The Houthi campaign has exposed the difficulties Saudi Arabia faces in defending its vast territory against relatively inexpensive missiles and drones, even with sophisticated air‑defense systems. Farea Al‑Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, told reporters that “Saudi Arabia is a huge geography to protect, and this speaks to a larger threat we're facing globally: a relatively small non‑state actor can pose a serious challenge to even a sophisticated and extremely expensive military.” Al‑Muslimi added that “the Houthis can impose enormous costs without having to spend very much themselves.”

President Donald Trump has left open the possibility of U.S. military intervention against the Houthis. Earlier this month, he told reporters that the United States could join Saudi strikes and that a decision could be made swiftly. “We may. We’re gonna look at it. We’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” Trump said.

The United States had conducted a roughly two‑month bombing campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2025 before halting operations following an Oman‑brokered agreement. While the U.S. currently provides intelligence and targeting support to Saudi Arabia, the administration is weighing the merits of a new strike campaign amid growing concerns about civilian casualties and regional escalation.

The evacuation order takes effect immediately, with U.S. employees and their families expected to depart Saudi Arabia within the next few days. The State Department is coordinating with Saudi authorities to facilitate the safe and orderly departure of all affected personnel. The directive underscores the escalating security concerns in the region as the Houthis continue their high‑volume missile and drone campaign against Saudi infrastructure.