US orders embassy staff departure from Saudi Arabia following fatal Houthi drone strike near Aramco oilfield

The US Department of State ordered non-emergency diplomatic staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia on October 21, 2026, citing escalating Houthi military strikes.

The United States Department of State has issued an order for mandatory evacuation of non-emergency government personnel as well as their family members serving at diplomatic missions of the USA in Saudi Arabia. The new security directive followed Saudi air defense intercepting an attack aimed at the Shaybah oilfield of Saudi Aramco, which led to the deaths of two civilians and injuries to two others.

"The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott wrote on X. “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."

Fatal intercept near Aramco's Shaybah processing complex

The Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia reported that its air defense forces managed to intercept a drone, trying to conduct an attack at the processing complex of Aramco at the Shaybah oilfield near the borders with the UAE.   

Although the drone was intercepted, falling fragments of the device caused damage and casualties outside the perimeter of the facility:   

Casualties: A Nepali citizen and a Filipino citizen died due to fragments hitting the vehicle of a contractor, causing a local fire.

Injuries sustained: An individual from India and one from Pakistan have been reported injured, but they have been receiving prompt medical attention.

Impact on operations: The government officials said there was no damage to the processing plants and that oil production operations continued as normal.

Regional escalation of conflicts and threats to embassies

This comes after the collapse of the UN-brokered peace agreement in July 2026, which resulted in a renewed onslaught of long-range missiles and drones in the Arabian Peninsula.

Whereas Washington confirmed that its diplomatic personnel have been evacuated from Saudi Arabia, it still keeps tabs on the security levels of their embassies in other regions of the Arabian Peninsula.

ALSO READ | Executed without warning: How Saudi Arabia's secret Mecca sentences triggered a diplomatic crisis

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.