Azernews.Az

American diplomats working in Saudi Arabia have been instructed to leave the country immediately, according to reports citing sources familiar with the matter, AzerNEWS informs.

The New York Times reported that the decision by the U.S. State Department reflects Washington’s growing concern about escalating security risks in the region.

According to the report, this is the first time since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28 that the State Department has confirmed or issued an order for the mandatory evacuation of personnel from Saudi Arabia.

Officials believe the move signals that U.S. authorities see a heightened threat environment across the Middle East as the conflict continues to intensify.

Sources say the directive will not only apply to U.S. government staff stationed in the capital, Riyadh, but will also cover personnel working at American consulates in the cities of Jeddah and Dhahran.

The evacuation order suggests Washington is taking precautionary steps to protect its diplomatic staff amid fears that the regional conflict could widen and potentially threaten U.S. facilities and personnel in key allied countries.

Saudi Arabia has long been a strategic partner for the United States in the Middle East, hosting key diplomatic and economic ties. However, the ongoing war involving Iran has raised concerns that tensions could spill over into neighboring states, prompting the latest security measures.