U.S. orders nonemergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia

The U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, while denying that similar departure orders were being prepared across the Gulf region. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the order applied to Saudi Arabia only and described reports of wider measures as inaccurate. He said the decision followed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian airports and critical infrastructure that caused casualties and significant travel disruptions. The clarification followed accounts from three U.S. officials that the department was preparing departure orders for personnel and family members at Gulf embassies. Two officials said the measures could potentially involve all personnel and families at the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia. Those officials described preparations across the region, but the State Department’s public statement confined the order to Saudi Arabia. The material establishes the department’s clarification and the officials’ account, but does not establish that departure orders were issued for other Gulf missions. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday...