October 23: Washington orders government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia
Key Facts
On October 23, the U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, citing safety risks. The directive puts the security of U.S. employees and their families at the forefront of the official response to risks in the kingdom. The department said the warning covers threats from missiles, drones and Houthi attacks. It said the Iran-backed Houthis had launched attacks on civilian airports and vital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. It added that those attacks had caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.
On November 4, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, discussed regional developments and efforts to de-escalate. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the ministers affirmed continued coordination and support for diplomatic solutions. This included, according to the statement, efforts to ensure the safety of waterways and freedom of navigation. The call came amid the earlier U.S. warning and concerns over the security of airports and vital infrastructure. On November 1, a statement was also issued by the Saudi-led coalition on a military operation it said had targeted the neutralization of vital sources used by the Houthis to support their war effort and military capabilities.
Oil moved higher on October 22, the day before the U.S. evacuation order. Brent crude rose $1.29, or 1.2%, to $110.11 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained 97 cents, or 1%, to $98.12. Reuters linked the gains to Houthi attacks and the U.S. order for some diplomats and their family members to leave. These prices provide a picture of the market’s response in that particular session. The October 22 figures are not prices for the November 4 session.
Ras Tanura refinery is significant in the context of concerns about energy facilities; Aramco’s 2025 data showed that its capacity is 550,000 barrels per day and that the company owns it in full. Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry said on March 4 that the refinery had been targeted in an attempted drone attack. The ministry added at the time that no damage or supply disruptions had been recorded. That incident describes an attempted attack in March, while the U.S. evacuation order addressed safety risks in October. Neither statement confirms a new attack on the refinery on November 4.
Regarding U.S. oil data, the Energy Information Administration’s schedule lists the release of the report for the week ended November 6 on November 12 at 12 noon Eastern time. The schedule says the date is unusual because of the Veterans Day holiday. Accordingly, it does not schedule the report’s release for November 4. Diplomatic talks on de-escalation and maritime safety remain developments dated November 4. The next oil report release listed on the schedule is November 12.