Recently, the Houla movement in Yemen and Saudi Arabia have been continuously engaging in mutual attacks, leading to a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East. According to a report by Reuters on October 21, several US officials revealed that the U.S. State Department has ordered some diplomats and their families to evacuate from Saudi Arabia, and plans to do the same for diplomats from other countries in the Middle East.
However, Tommy Picolet, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, subsequently posted on social media platform X, stating that the claims were “inaccurate.” He said that the U.S. State Department had issued evacuation orders only to “non-emergency” government employees stationed in Saudi Arabia and their families. “The safety of State Department officials and their families is our top priority, and we will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and support them.”
Pigott did not mention whether American officials in other Gulf countries will be withdrawn.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on the 21st local time, stating that hostile actions could escalate rapidly and spread to surrounding areas.
Reuters pointed out that U.S. facilities in the Middle East are at risk of being attacked by Iran and its ally, the Houla militia. In early March this year, after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, a CIA station in the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was targeted by drones.
