Families of American diplomats flee Middle East as oil export costs surge

One resident was killed and eight others were injured following an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on Wednesday, 21 October, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation. The strike coincided with a separate drone interception over the Shaybah oil field near the UAE border, where falling debris killed two workers—a Filipino and a Nepali national—and injured two others, the Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed. US Orders Diplomatic Departures In response to the sustained escalation, the United States has ordered all embassy staff and their families to depart from Saudi Arabia. A diplomatic source confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that families of embassy personnel in the UAE, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain have also been ordered to leave the region. The move follows intensified Houthi strikes and warnings from Tehran regarding a direct military confrontation with Israel. Oil Exports Bypass Strait of Hormuz Despite the conflict, regional oil exports have climbed to 24 million barrels per day, up from 23.3 million prior to the outbreak of hostilities, according to data from energy intelligence firm Kpler. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have successfully mitigated disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz by ramping up alternative pipelines to export terminals outside the chokepoint. However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that the shift has incurred "steep" costs due to rising freight rates and war-risk insurance premiums. Regional Tensions and Sanctions…