The United States has ordered the departure of diplomatic personnel and adjusted staffing at embassies across the Middle East, according to an American official. The moves follow Iranian efforts to target Americans and threats from Houthi militants in Yemen. The State Department had earlier said it was ordering some diplomatic staff to leave only from Saudi Arabia because of the growing risk from the Houthis, and had called reports of broader evacuations across the region "inaccurate."
The US official, who requested anonymity, said Friday night that the Houthi and Iranian threats were informing staffing changes at embassies already under "restricted operations." In an unclassified memo dated Oct. 23, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio about rising risks to American officials from Iranian attacks in the region and in "certain other areas." Clayton wrote that "Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel" and that lethal plotting against US citizens has reached advanced stages in the Middle East and elsewhere.
The orders come nearly eight months into the US and Israeli war against Iran, and after President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened a new round of strikes, possibly after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Tehran has stepped up attacks on commercial ships in or near the Strait of Hormuz and has retaliated against US and Israeli airstrikes by hitting energy infrastructure and US facilities across the Persian Gulf. The order to move US staff out of Saudi Arabia earlier this week helped push up oil prices amid fears of renewed fighting.
Iran-backed Houthi militants have recently increased deadly strikes on Saudi energy sites and airports. However, there have been no significant recent clashes between US or Iranian forces.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing