The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday stepped up its response to the security crisis in Saudi Arabia and ordered the departure of non-emergency employees of the U.S. government and their family members from the country. The measure comes just 17 days before WWE Crown Jewel, set for Nov. 7 in Riyadh.
The new security alert from the U.S. Embassy cites the increase in attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis against civilian airports and other Saudi structures. The document also keeps a sentence that now takes on new weight.
“The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area.”
The change is clear. As previously reported, the previous alert from the Department of State recommended greater vigilance for Americans in the region. Now there is a departure order for part of the U.S. government’s own personnel.
The problem also continues at the airports. The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that only some Saudi airlines had resumed limited operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Lufthansa and Air France canceled flights to the Saudi capital through mid-November, a period that includes the date of Crown Jewel.
Hours later, another attack hit King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The Saudi aviation authority reported one death and eight people injured, in addition to property damage and flight diversions.
Even with this new order from the United States, the official Crown Jewel page on WWE.com continues to list the show at Riyadh Season Stadium.
Despite that, WWE is already working on alternatives in case it needs to remove Crown Jewel from Saudi Arabia.