Citing security situation, US restricts official travel to 2 Saudi cities

The US State Department on Sunday restricted travel for its government employees to the cities of Taif and Yanbu, citing the ongoing regional security environment.

"Due to the ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia, US government employees who work in Saudi Arabia now require special authorization for all official and personal travel to" the two cities, the US mission in Saudi Arabia said in a security alert.

It "strongly" encouraged all American citizens to maintain vigilance, keep cellphones charged, steer clear of demonstrations or heavy police presence, and maintain a low profile, particularly at sites associated with the US.

The mission advised citizens to seek immediate shelter away from windows and doors in the event of an aerial attack, noting that standard and emergency consular assistance remain operational across the kingdom.

The measure arrives amid a military escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels, coming one day after Washington urged Americans outside the Middle East to reconsider traveling to or through the region due to the risk of rapid escalation.