Trump says he will consider backing Saudi Arabia against the Houthis after deadly Riyadh airport attack

A U.S. response still under review

President Donald Trump said he was considering joining Saudi Arabia in its retaliation against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. According to CNBC, this prospect could draw the United States further into a second front in its war with Iran.

On Saturday, outside the White House, he was asked whether the United States would back Saudi strikes. His answer, as reported by CNBC, was in substance that they could and that he would look into the question. He added that Washington had just been informed of the recent attack, that a decision would be made, and that he was acting very quickly.

The White House had not immediately responded to CNBC's request for comment.

Riyadh asks for urgent help

Two Saudi government officials, including one from the Foreign Ministry, told MS NOW that the kingdom is requesting "urgent defensive support" from the United States. They asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. According to them, Washington must act "as soon as possible" to help the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen against the Houthis.

A heavy toll at King Khalid airport

According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, as cited by the official Saudi Gazette, the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 12 people and wounded 309. CNBC notes that this is the second deadly attack on the airport in less than a week. On Thursday, three Saudis, including a pilot, were killed in Houthi attacks on the site.

Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, described the attack as a "war crime." In a post on X, he said the coalition's joint command would respond firmly, in accordance with customary international humanitarian law.

The Houthis maintain their threats

After Saturday's attack, the Houthis renewed their warning to airlines, employees and travelers, advising them not to use Saudi airports and airspace. According to their post on X, only the airports of Mecca and Medina are excluded from this warning.

Beyond attacks on civil aviation, CNBC reports that the Houthis are seeking to disrupt tanker traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, as Iran has in effect done in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier this month, Yemeni government forces said they had retaken the port city of Mocha from the Houthis.

Energy and the political calendar

According to CNBC, Saudi Arabia intervened in the Yemeni civil war after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014. Last month, the Trump administration approved the potential sale of nearly 50 F-35 fighter jets to the kingdom, worth $24.3 billion. The network says the deal is subject to congressional review.

According to Reuters, as cited by CNBC, the Saudi Ministry of Energy said a long-planned international energy conference would be held in Riyadh on Sunday. The five-day WPC Energy Congress is taking place at a convention center near King Khalid airport. State television told Reuters that more than 70 ministers, 300 business leaders and representatives of more than 25 international energy organizations had confirmed their participation, without specifying whether they would attend in person or remotely. A ministerial meeting of the International Energy Forum is also scheduled, with a closed-door plenary session, according to Reuters.

CNBC recalls that energy prices have risen sharply since the war began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. According to the network, rising fuel prices at the U.S. pump are a major concern for voters ahead of next month's midterm elections.

Analysis: the limits of a commitment

This analysis is based solely on the information reported by CNBC, including the views of two sources it cites. U.S. support would carry a military cost, the network stresses. The Critical Threats Project, affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute, believes that involvement in the Saudi-Yemeni air campaign against the Houthis' ballistic missile capabilities would be the first direct U.S. military action against the group since the end of Operation Rough Rider in May 2025. According to CNBC, that offensive aimed to weaken the Houthis, but recent attacks show the group has rebuilt its capabilities.

Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations wrote last month that, after seven months of war, questions arise about the United States' ability to sustain a prolonged campaign against the Houthis, to resume fighting Iran if necessary, and to prepare for other contingencies, particularly in East Asia. Finally, according to CNBC, the British Defence Secretary said his government was also examining how to respond; the available text ends at this point.