The U.S. has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia over security concerns, raising questions about the safety of thousands of Kenyans living and working there.

The directive, which took effect on October 23, 2026, follows attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, causing casualties and disrupting travel across the kingdom as a result of the months-long Iran-Israel-U.S. war that has claimed scores of lives.

In a security alert issued on October 27 as seen by Kenyans.co.ke , the U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia warned that hostilities could escalate rapidly beyond the immediately affected areas, amid the wider Middle East conflict. “Effective October 23, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks. Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions,” the U.S. Embassy stated.

The mission said recent missile and unmanned aerial vehicle attacks had prompted restrictions on American government personnel, who now require special authorisation from the Chief of Mission to use any Saudi airport. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh partially reopened on October 23 for domestic services and some international flights operated by national carriers, while some flights were diverted to Qassim's Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam remain operational, although passengers have experienced delays and cancellations as airlines respond to the security situation.

The U.S. government warned its citizens about possible further attacks, airspace closures and travel disruptions, advising travellers to exercise extreme caution and confirm departure details directly with airlines and airports. This comes as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been advancing towards Riyadh, Saudi’s Capital, with a keen interest in capturing the Bab-el-Mandeb Straight, a critical chokepoint between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa that accounts for nearly 10 per cent of the trankers traffick. The developments could affect Kenya's estimated 310,266 citizens living and working in Saudi Arabia, particularly those whose jobs, family responsibilities and travel plans depend on stable transport and security conditions.

Official figures presented to Parliament show that more than 500,000 Kenyans live across Gulf states, making regional instability a concern for a large workforce that includes domestic workers and labourers.

The Kenyan Consulate General in Jeddah serves more than 160,000 Kenyans in the Jeddah and Mecca regions alone; hence, a large part of the community could potentially be exposed to travel disruptions and changing security conditions.

The U.S. Mission advised citizens to avoid demonstrations, large gatherings and areas with heavy police presence, remain alert, monitor local media and follow instructions issued by Saudi authorities during emergencies.

It also warned that Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior prohibits filming or sharing information about intercepted missiles, drones and impact sites, cautioning that violations could attract legal consequences, including detention.