The US has issued a new round of security warnings to Americans in the Middle East amid increasing attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants against Saudi Arabia.
What happened
US diplomatic missions across the region have warned Americans that hostilities could spread rapidly and without warning, and have urged them to exercise caution and prepare for possible flight cancellations and airspace closures.
The warnings come after a recent surge in Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that killed an American citizen and injured over 300 people.
The State Department has maintained restrictions on diplomatic operations in the region since the US and Israel went to war with Iran in February, and has said that the safety and security of American citizens remains its top priority.
The Houthi attacks have continued, with the Saudi-led coalition reporting the interception of a ballistic missile and a drone near Riyadh, and the killing of two teenage girls in Taiz, Yemen.
Ambassador Marwan Ali Noman, political adviser to the minister of foreign affairs of the government of Yemen, has warned that the Houthis will continue to expand their attacks unless confronted, and has called for expanded US and international assistance to Yemen's military campaign.
