Major attack on Saudi airport kills 12 and leads Trump to weigh joining fight

A deadly missile strike on the primary international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has killed at least 12 people and left hundreds injured, prompting President Donald Trump to indicate that the United States is evaluating whether to take part in military action against Yemen's Houthi rebels.

According to Saudi civil aviation authorities, the Saturday assault on King Khalid International Airport resulted in 12 deaths and injured 309 individuals, with several victims remaining in critical condition. The casualties included one American citizen, four Saudi nationals, two individuals from Bangladesh, and citizens from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Sudan. Operations at the facility remained halted on Sunday following the incident, which follows another strike at the airport on Thursday that killed three people.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Trump addressed the prospect of the United States entering the confrontation alongside the Saudi-led coalition. "We may. We’re gonna look at it," Trump stated, noting that the administration had recently learned of the strike. "So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly."

Both Washington and Riyadh attributed the attack to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. While the group did not immediately claim responsibility for Saturday's strike, it reiterated public warnings advising travelers and personnel to avoid Saudi airports. The Saudi-led coalition labeled the strike a war crime and promised a robust response.

The lethal incident represents the most severe attack on the kingdom in a decade and arrives amid a broader escalation across the region, where fighting has reignited after a truce unraveled in July. The Houthis have pushed further along the Red Sea coastline and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, applying pressure on essential commercial maritime lanes and global energy supplies.

International reactions were swift. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strike as a breach of international law and held the Houthis responsible. Regional partners such as Egypt and Qatar voiced firm support for Saudi Arabia, describing the assault as a severe violation of national sovereignty and regional stability. Condemnations also came from Germany and Canada, where Prime Minister Mark Carney described the strikes as abhorrent.

The attack puts renewed focus on Washington's posture in the Middle East. Prior to this strike, Trump had largely resisted deeper military entanglements in the region, despite requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in September urging military intervention against the Yemeni insurgents. Regional analysts noted that Washington could offer critical assistance through enhanced intelligence sharing and advanced air defense systems rather than an all-out offensive, as regional security pacts between Riyadh and allies including Turkey and Pakistan face growing pressure to respond.