The United States has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify.
The move comes as the U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up specific plans for further strikes against Iran after next month’s midterm elections, according to the New York Times, citing unnamed U.S. officials.
Planning for a “short but intensive” operation is progressing, the Times said.
These developments point to a possible extension of the war that has lasted for almost eight months, as American and Iranian negotiators continue negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in an article on X that the order applied only to Saudi Arabia, citing increased attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis against civilian targets. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Washington also plans to withdraw family members from other missions in the region.
A strike Wednesday on Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport killed at least one person and injured eight. Two people died in a drone attack on Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field, the Saudi Press Agency reported, adding that operations were not affected.
In recent days, the American and Israeli military have intensified their military exercises, including flying over Iraq to practice strike maneuvers, according to the New York Times. The Times also reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel this week to discuss potential new strikes.
The new military strikes would likely target Iran’s energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and arsenal of missiles and drones, according to the Times, noting that President Donald Trump has not yet approved the new strikes and has repeatedly vetoed plans to return to major combat this year.
Iranian officials have pledged to broaden their attacks to target data centers and undersea internet cables, while refusing any concessions on their nuclear program.
Despite continued disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Middle Eastern oil flows through the vital strait have returned to near pre-war levels, according to Kpler.
As Brent crude topped $110 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate gained 1% to $98.12 as renewed appetite for crude from China could push oil prices higher, according to the commodities research firm.
“China’s crude import demand is expected to continue to recover, driven by increasing refinery throughput and rapidly declining crude inventories,” said Muyu Xu, senior crude oil analyst at Kpler. The war has reduced China’s oil stocks, with the fastest decline on record at 1.6 million barrels per day in September, Xu estimated.
China still holds 1.1 billion barrels of reserves, about 80 days of refineries’ needs, Xu said. She added that with virtually all Iranian cargoes unloaded outside the US blockade, substantial new arrivals of crude into China appear unlikely.
China’s state-owned refiners will likely have a stronger appetite and greater urgency to get barrels to the Middle East quickly as they face higher production and inventory replenishment needs. Independent refiners are also looking for alternatives to Iranian crude, a move that could limit further downgrades to Dubai’s structure, Xu said.
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