U.S. evacuates diplomats from Saudi Arabia as Iran strike plans advance

The U.S. ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia after Houthi strikes on an airport and oil field, escalating fears of a wider regional conflict. The move precedes planned U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The U.S. and Israeli militaries have drafted plans for renewed strikes on Iran after next month's midterm elections, targeting energy, nuclear, and missile facilities, according to The New York Times. A strike on King Fahd International Airport killed one person, while a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field killed two. The nearly eight-month war has disrupted shipping, though Middle East oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered to near pre-war levels. Brent crude topped $110 a barrel, with China's recovering import demand potentially driving prices higher.