State Department Limits Gulf Departure Order to Saudi Arabia, Warns Travelers
The State Department says its ordered departure of non-emergency government staff and families applies only to Saudi Arabia, rejecting reports of a wider Gulf shutdown as Houthi attacks disrupt regional travel.
The State Department has moved to correct reports that it ordered non-emergency government personnel and their dependents to leave the entire Gulf region, clarifying that the directive applies only to Saudi Arabia. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott called the broader regional claims «inaccurate» after the department issued a formal statement confirming the targeted drawdown inside the kingdom.
«The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia,» the department said. The clarification came as militant strikes against key regional transit hubs have increased, raising concerns among American travelers about the safety of flights and airport connections across the Middle East.
In its statement, the department pointed to sustained hostilities by Iranian-supported Houthis against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure that have caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. Officials described the security environment as highly volatile and warned that the conflict «has the potential to escalate rapidly, including beyond that immediate area.» The department said the safety and security of its staff and their households remain its highest priority, and that the United States «will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them as they return to the U.S.»
The warning follows a renewed advisory issued in late September as regional tensions escalated. Around that time, Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, which Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted. Residents reported hearing an explosion and later seeing a plume of smoke near King Khalid International Airport, according to The Associated Press. No casualties or damage from the attack were reported at the time.
In a September post on X, the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs cautioned that the security environment in the Middle East «remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.» The bureau urged Americans currently in the region to exercise heightened vigilance and to be aware of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions. It specifically cited hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis, noting that civilian airports had been targeted.
«This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,» the post said. «Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region.» The agency also advised travelers to and from the region to monitor airport and airline operations, warning that U.S. diplomatic facilities have been targeted, including outside the Middle East.
The latest guidance builds on earlier cautions. In June, U.S. officials similarly urged Americans across the Middle East to remain vigilant as tensions mounted, warning that airspace closures, demonstrations and threats to locations associated with the United States could disrupt travel with little notice. The State Department also maintained its «Level 3: Reconsider Travel» advisory for Oman in an Aug. 30 update, citing risks from armed conflict and terrorism, including the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran.
For travelers, the practical effect of the clarification is that the ordered departure is confined to Saudi Arabia rather than signaling a region-wide evacuation of U.S. government personnel. Still, officials are advising heightened awareness, particularly around airports and flight schedules, as attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to affect regional aviation.
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