US State Department Evacuating Non-Essential Employees From Saudi Arabia

The United States Department of State have ordered non-essential government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia amidst the escalating conflict between KSA and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

US State Department Spokesman Tommy Piggott issued the following statement on X/Twitter:

"The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only.

"Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.

"The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them."

The Houthis have carried out almost daily airstrikes against Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, targeting airports, oil and gas facilities, and military bases in Saudi Arabia. This has included multiple strikes against King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh, which left 13 people dead and over 300 wounded on October 10.

The Houthis have targeted Saudi Arabia due to KSA's support for the UN-recognised government in Yemen, with Saudi Arabia leading a coalition to intervene militarily in the Yemen Civil War since 2015. That intervention restored the Yemeni government, but the civil war has continued, with the UN-recognised government controlling much of the country, while the Iran-backed Houthis currently control the capital city, Sanaa, and much of the former North Yemen.

There had been a four-year informal ceasefire in the conflict but the Houthis began to launch missile and drone strikes against Saudi Arabia in July 2026, with the Houthis blaming KSA for an earlier airstrike on Sanaa airport.

Despite the airstrikes against Saudi Arabia, WWE Crown Jewel 2026 is still officially scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 7. WWE reportedly have a backup location in the United States should the decision be made to move the event from Saudi Arabia, however.

WWE employees have also internally expressed their opposition to travelling to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, something which WWE were reportedly not thrilled about because of the company wishing to present a united front.

There was pressure placed on WWE to hold Crown Jewel in KSA from Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh earlier this month when Alalshikh tweeted that "hard times reveal true friends" in reference to Canelo Alvarez planning to go ahead with his boxing match against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on October 31. WWE reportedly knew the tweet was partly directed at the company in relation to Crown Jewel.

WWE have been partnered with the KSA GEA since 2018 to hold two major events per year in Saudi Arabia, with WWE receiving around $55 million per event. WrestleMania 43 is also currently scheduled to be held in Riyadh in April 2027, with WWE estimated to receive $150 million from KSA for the show.

The current travel advisory from the United States Department of State for Saudi Arabia is for US citizens to reconsider travel to KSA.