US orders embassy staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

Key points

• The United States has ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces sustained deadly attacks by Yemen's Houthis. State department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the safety of department personnel remains the highest priority.
• A diplomatic source told AFP that some families were also being withdrawn from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain, but Pigott said Thursday's order applied only to Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi authorities said one person was killed and others were hurt in drone-related incidents this week, while a diplomatic source reported the withdrawals elsewhere.