Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — The U.S. embassy in Yemen has closed.

Less than a week after the Iranian-backed Shi’ite coup, the U.S. embassy in Sanaa said it would suspend services. The embassy also indicated that most of its staffers have left Yemen.

“The U.S. embassy will be closed to the public until further notice,” the embassy said.

In a statement on Jan. 26, the U.S. embassy said the closure was decided upon in an effort to protect personnel. The embassy suggested that it could become a target in wake of the Shi’ite capture of Sanaa and its government.

“Due to the recent resignation of the Yemeni president, prime minister, and Cabinet, and the ongoing security concerns, the U.S. embassy in Sanaa is unable to provide routine consular services and will have very limited ability to assist with emergency cases involving U.S. citizens,” the U.S. embassy said.

Earlier, a leading U.S. senator said the Shi’ite coup has hampered Yemeni efforts to protect the embassy. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the outgoing chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said embassy staffers could be vulnerable to attack.

“We have less than 300 Yemeni military guarding our embassy,” Ms. Feinstein said on Jan. 25. “So, I think there are a number of priorities there. One is to see that our people are safe. The second is to take a good look at our policy with respect to Yemen.”

At the same time, the United States sought to demonstrate that it would continue attacks on Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. A purported U.S. air strike was said to have killed three AQAP operatives in the Maarib province in eastern Yemen.

“The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest,” the U.S. embassy said.

Meanwhile, officials said the U.S. military presence in Yemen would not be withdrawn in wake of the takeover by Iranian-backed Shi’ites of Sanaa. But they said the administration of President Barack Obama decided to suspend all military aid to and operations in Yemen.

“We are still assessing the implications,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

On Jan. 22, Yemeni President Abbed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his government resigned amid the coup by the Iranian-backed Ansar Allah. Ansar, believed trained and equipped by Teheran, seized the presidential palace, government buildings and military headquarters around Sanaa.

“It’s not clear right now in whose hands the government is or will be in the future,” Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said on Jan. 23.

Officials said the U.S. military presence and the embassy would be significantly reduced. They said the administration also ordered a halt to U.S. training of the Yemeni military and security forces as well as a suspension of air strikes on Al Qaida.

“There is a footprint of U.S. military personnel in there that have been dedicated to counterterrorism operations,” Kirby said. “They are still there.”

  suspends military aid, U.S. closes embassy in Yemen, WorldTribune.com