The US State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency government employees and their families from Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks intensify in the region.
What happened
The Iranian-supported Houthi group has increased its attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, resulting in civilian casualties and travel disruptions. The latest attack occurred at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, killing one person and injuring eight others.
The US Embassy in Riyadh expects hostilities to escalate rapidly, prompting the State Department to take precautionary measures to protect its personnel and their families. The department has advised US citizens to exercise extreme caution when using airports in Saudi Arabia and to consider alternative travel arrangements, such as private cars, trains, or buses.
The Houthi attacks have also affected commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, with attempts to block and attack ships trading with Saudi Arabia. This has put pressure on global shipping, with the Red Sea accounting for a significant portion of global container traffic and oil shipments.
