TLDR
The US has ordered some diplomats and staff families out of Saudi Arabia, citing Houthi attacks on airports and critical infrastructure. Attacks on Wednesday killed three people. Australia's Smartraveller now tells Australians not to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Washington orders staff out
The US State Department has ordered some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia.[1] The order covers the embassy in Riyadh and its consulates.[1]
The department cited Houthi attacks on "civilian airports and other critical infrastructure". "The safety and security of department personnel and their families remain our highest priority," spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.[1]
Some media reported that families of US embassy staff were also leaving the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. Pigott called those reports "inaccurate" and said the order applied to Saudi Arabia only.[1]
Deadly strikes on an airport and an oil site
Saudi Arabia faces near-daily attacks.[1] On Wednesday evening, one Saudi resident was killed and eight people were injured in attacks on King Fahad International Airport in Dammam, the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said.[1]
Debris from an intercepted drone that targeted an oil facility in the south-east killed two more people, the energy ministry said. Neither attack was immediately claimed by the Houthis.[1]
Britain sends fighter jets
Britain will fly RAF Typhoon jets on defensive missions to protect Saudi cities and infrastructure, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said. The jets will not strike the Houthis.[3]
"The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable," Streeting said.[3]
What it means for Australians
Smartraveller raised its advice for Saudi Arabia to "Do not travel", its highest level, on 19 October.[2] It tells Australians to postpone any planned travel, including for religious purposes.[2]
It advises against travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and says air travel is significantly disrupted at all major airports. Australians who do travel are told to consider car, train and bus routes, including to aviation hubs in the UAE and Qatar.[2]
Fears of a wider war
The New York Times reported the Trump administration was developing plans to restart the war on Iran after the US midterm elections. Trump has publicly said he does not intend to restart the war before the 3 November elections.[1]
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