US orders non-emergency diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks

The US Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to increasing hostilities by Iranian-supported Houthis against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure. Recent attacks include one at King Fahd International Airport injuring eight people and a drone strike near the UAE border injuring two people near the Shaybah oil field. The Houthi actions, which include a maritime embargo in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, have contributed to a surge in global oil prices as Saudi Arabia relies on the Red Sea for exports following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.