By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
The U.S. embassy in Sanaa will remain open despite Yemen's tenuous security situation, the White House said Wednesday following a reported attack on an American diplomatic vehicle.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One that the safety of American personnel is the administration’s top priority, and there is “careful White House scrutiny of the security situation there.”
“We are monitoring this minute by minute,” he said. “We’ll take whatever steps are necessary to protect American citizens up to and including evacuating the embassy if we determine that’s necessary.”
His comments follow a reported attack on an American diplomatic vehicle that came under fire from unknown assailants near a checkpoint near the U.S. embassy in the capital.
No injuries were reported.
Sen. Diane Feinstein told Bloomberg News that the embassy there should be immediately closed and evacuated.
“I’m very concerned about our embassy there, who is still there, who isn’t still there, and what the plans are,” Feinstein said.
While Yemen has struggled with long-standing security woes, the country was rocked by more instability Monday when Houthi militants clashed with presidential guard units and seized strategic facilities in Sanaa.
Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters Wednesday it was his understanding that the Yemeni government was agreeing to most, if not all, of the rebels’ demands.
