2 min readUpdated: Oct 22, 2026 02:17 AM ISTPeople gather outside a metro station on the road after attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: AP)AI Narration Listen 00:000.5x0.75x1x1.25x1.5x2xThank you for your feedback.Your feedback has been reported succesfully.The State Department is ordering some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly attacks in the country by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and rising fears of an escalation in hostilities.The department said Wednesday it had ordered the departure of non-essential staff at the US Embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates. The embassy had been badly damaged at the start of the Iran war and had been operating with only a skeleton staff for months, although some diplomats had returned in recent months.In a new travel alert, the department said, “Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area.”Also Read | Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh airport; 1 Indian killed, 10 injuredA series of previous alerts for Saudi Arabia issued over the past several days have used almost identical language and noted that U.S. government personnel need special permission to use any Saudi airport. The Houthis have routinely targeted Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, and it had been closed since Oct. 10 following a severe attack.But earlier Wednesday, aircraft from a limited number of Saudi airlines took off and landed at the airport, two days after Saudi aviation authorities notified airlines that they could resume operations with prior permission.Also Read | Air India, IndiGo suspend flights to Riyadh after Houthi attackStill, major carriers like Lufthansa and Air France have canceled flights to Riyadh through mid-November. Saudi airlines, including Saudia and FlyNas, were among those operating flights Wednesday.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement