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US orders some diplomats out of Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks on Riyadh's airport and Aramco

59 articles from 10 sources
First reported on Wednesday 7 October 2026 at 18:48 EDT by The Philadelphia Inquirer·Latest article on Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 16:31 EDT

Summary

Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed attacks on Saudi airports, and Saudi aviation authorities said two attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Thursday 8 October killed three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, as airlines suspended at least 124 flights, Fortune reported. On Saturday 10 October a missile struck a passenger terminal, a regional official said, and Saudi authorities said the attack killed 12 people, including a U.S. citizen, and wounded more than 300, as President Trump, evaluating whether the U.S. should join the fight against the Houthis, said 'We may.' On 12 October Saudi Arabia launched an investigation into how its air defenses failed, according to PBS NewsHour, and on 14 October officials said the Houthis had struck the headquarters of Saudi oil company Aramco, damaging the offices of senior executives, The Philadelphia Inquirer, PBS NewsHour and the LA Times reported. Egypt's top security body said on 18 October that it had agreed to support Saudi Arabia against the Houthis, and on 20 October Britain said it is expanding its military support to include 'defensive' air patrols by Royal Air Force jets, the Inquirer and the LA Times reported. On Wednesday 21 October the US State Department issued an ordered departure for non-emergency personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia because of the growing threat from Houthi militants in neighboring Yemen, Bloomberg reported.

Latest: The US State Department issued an ordered departure for non-emergency personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia because of the growing threat from Houthi militants in neighboring Yemen, Bloomberg reported, its headline saying the US orders some diplomats out of Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks.

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How it unfolded

  1. Wednesday 21 October

    The US State Department issued an ordered departure for non-emergency personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia because of the growing threat from Houthi militants in neighboring Yemen, Bloomberg reported, its headline saying the US orders some diplomats out of Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks.

  2. Tuesday 20 October

    Britain said it is expanding military support for Saudi Arabia against the Houthis to include 'defensive' air patrols by Royal Air Force jets, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the LA Times reported, Defense Secretary Wes Streeting saying Typhoon jets will 'conduct defensive counter-air operations over Saudi Arabia', according to the LA Times, and CNBC that the jets will not engage in offensive strikes.

  3. Sunday 18 October

    Egypt's top security body said it had agreed to support Saudi Arabia in its fight against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, The Philadelphia Inquirer, ABC News and PBS NewsHour reported, PBS NewsHour noting that the Houthis have repeatedly attacked airports and oil infrastructure across the kingdom with drones and missiles that can change direction during flight, posing a challenge to interceptors.

  4. Wednesday 14 October

    Officials said Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck the headquarters of Saudi oil company Aramco, damaging the offices of senior executives, PBS NewsHour reporting an overnight strike that damaged the offices of the firm's chief executive and other top officials.

  5. Monday 12 October

    Saudi Arabia launched an investigation into how its air defenses failed to stop the Houthi attack on Riyadh airport, officials saying the initial probe showed that the Houthis first fired drones to pave the way for cruise and ballistic missiles, the Saudi-led coalition said it was dealing with more drones and missiles heading toward the kingdom, and Delta delayed its Saudi service until March.

  6. Sunday 11 October

    Saudi Arabia extended the closure of Riyadh airport after Saturday's attack killed 12 people and wounded more than 300, the Houthis issued a new threat on Saudi airspace and accused Saudi Arabia of striking the airport in Sanaa, and the Saudi-led coalition said a projectile struck a passenger terminal in Riyadh again.

  7. Saturday 10 October

    Riyadh airport was attacked again, a missile striking a passenger terminal and wounding many people, officials said, as the U.S. weighed joining Saudi Arabia's fight against the Iran-backed Houthis, President Trump saying 'We may. We're going to look at it.'

  8. Friday 9 October

    Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation said three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed and several other people wounded in two attacks on Riyadh airport on Thursday, as airlines suspended at least 124 flights, Fortune reported.

  9. Thursday 8 October

    Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed two attacks on Saudi airports that killed three people, officials said, then a new attack against the airport in Riyadh, where a witness reported explosions and an evacuation, and Lufthansa and Air India temporarily suspended flights to Riyadh.

  10. Wednesday 7 October

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