U.S. pulls diplomats from Saudi Arabia as it reportedly readies Iran strikes after midterms

An air traffic control tower is seen at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sept. 19, 2026.AFP | Getty ImagesThe U.S. ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks on the kingdom escalate.The move comes as the U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up specific plans for renewed strikes on 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. The developments point to a possible widening of the nearly eight-month war, while U.S. and Iranian negotiators continue talks on Tehran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott in a post on X said the order applies only to Saudi Arabia, citing increasing attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on civilian targets. Meanwhile, Reuters reported Washington also plans to withdraw family members from other missions in the region.A strike Wednesday on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed at least one person and injured eight. Two people died in a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field, the Saudi Pres...