US orders some diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia as fears of escalating Houthi attacks rise

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is ordering some diplomats and the families of U.S. government employees to leave Saudi Arabia following a series of deadly attacks in the country by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and rising fears of an escalation in hostilities.The department said Wednesday it had ordered the departure of non-essential staff at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and its satellite consulates. The embassy had been badly damaged at the start of the Iran war and had been operating with only a skeleton staff for months, although some diplomats had returned in recent months.In a new travel alert, the department said, "Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area.”A series of previous alerts for Saudi Arabia issued over the past