US orders nonessential embassy staff and their families to leave Jordan, Gulf states
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- The US has ordered some embassy personnel and their families to leave diplomatic missions in five Gulf countries amid concerns about renewed Houthi attacks, according to Reuters.
- The US Embassy in Riyadh has warned of possible further attacks on Saudi Arabia, while Washington says the evacuation directive is linked to security concerns in the kingdom, not tensions with Iran.
The United States has ordered some embassy personnel and their families to leave diplomatic missions in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain amid concerns about a possible resumption of fighting involving Yemen's Houthis, three US officials told Reuters.
The directive comes amid heightened security concerns across the region following a series of deadly attacks in recent weeks, including strikes near Riyadh's international airport.
US officials also told Israel Hayom that the American Embassy in Israel had not received evacuation orders. They stressed that the planned departures were linked to the security situation in Saudi Arabia rather than tensions with Iran.
The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert on Wednesday warning of possible additional Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
The warning follows recent attacks that have raised concerns about the safety of civilian infrastructure and the potential for further escalation in the region.
Separately, Axios reported that dozens of ‘Israeli’ fighter jets had conducted a sortie reaching as far as the Iranian border, flying over Syria and Iraq along a route consistent with a potential strike against Iran.
According to the report, ‘Israel’ informed the United States that the operation was a training exercise intended to demonstrate military capabilities and serve as a deterrent. The report also said ‘Israel’ knew Iranian air defense systems would detect the aircraft.
The reports of the fighter jet activity come as Washington's security measures in the Gulf draw attention to the risks of renewed regional escalation. However, US officials cited by Reuters linked the embassy directive to concerns about Saudi Arabia's security, not tensions with Iran.
