“New York Times”: U.S. State Department Orders Diplomats to Leave Saudi Arabia Immediately

Middle East News Network: The New York Times, citing informed sources, reported that the U.S. Department of State has ordered all American personnel in the U.S. diplomatic mission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to leave the country.
The newspaper added: “This move by the State Department indicates that U.S. officials recognize the increasing risks in the region. It is the first time the department has issued what it calls an ‘ordered departure’ from Saudi Arabia since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on February 28.”
According to the report, the State Department’s order does not only apply to U.S. government employees in Riyadh, but also includes staff in Jeddah and Dhahran, the two cities that host U.S. consulates.
The decision comes after attacks targeting the embassy building and the surrounding area. In recent days, the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that the embassy had been targeted by two drones, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building.
The embassy also warned citizens to avoid the area and issued a security alert along with a shelter-in-place order for Americans in Riyadh, as well as in Jeddah and Dhahran. An official stated that U.S. government employees in those consulates were also instructed to prepare for a mandatory evacuation.
Source: The New York Times