Trump says US may join Saudi strikes on Yemen's Houthis

Trump weighs military support

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington may join Saudi-led military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen, responding to questions about potential American involvement after a recent attack on the kingdom's main international airport.

Asked by reporters whether he had decided to take part in the strikes, Trump said: "We may. We're going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack. We will make a decision. We move very quickly." His remarks followed the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh after a projectile strike left several people wounded, according to Saudi aviation authorities. The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed the Saturday afternoon attack, adding that officials were still determining the exact number of casualties.

Airport attack sparks diplomatic alerts

The US and British embassies in Riyadh issued security alerts on Saturday advising their citizens to avoid the airport compound — the kingdom's busiest aviation hub — warning of ongoing risks and possible travel disruptions. Saudi authorities reported that three citizens were killed and others injured in two separate attacks on Thursday targeting airport facilities and a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft. Operations at King Khalid International resumed later Saturday and air traffic returned to normal, the aviation authority announced.

Houthi campaign and Yemen war

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement has said it carried out several missile and drone attacks on King Khalid International Airport and other Saudi facilities in recent days. Yemen has endured nearly a decade of conflict since the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.