US begins evacuating diplomats from Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has begun withdrawing some of its diplomats and embassy staff members' family members from Saudi Arabia due to security threats.

According to Report, the relevant information was published on the department's website.

The department said that Yemen's Houthi movement, Ansar Allah, had been conducting military operations against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and serious disruptions to transport links. It warned that the conflict could rapidly escalate beyond the immediate combat zone.

The State Department also said that diplomats were required to obtain special authorisation from the chief of mission before using any airport in Saudi Arabia due to recent missile and drone attacks on airports across the kingdom.

The department advised US citizens to be prepared for possible attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations and transport disruptions.

In addition, US authorities reminded their citizens that filming, publishing or sharing information about missile defence systems, drones and their impact sites in the kingdom was prohibited. The State Department noted that US citizens had been detained for violating these rules, including for photographing government buildings, airports and the sites where missiles and drones had landed.