Trump considers US military strikes on Houthis after Riyadh airport attack

United States President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday, 11 October that the White House is weighing direct military intervention against Houthi forces in Yemen following a ballistic missile strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, 10 October, injured several civilians and forced a temporary suspension of operations at the Saudi capital’s primary aviation hub. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump told reporters at the White House when questioned about joining the Saudi-led coalition in active combat operations. The president noted that his administration is reviewing the latest escalation and will reach a decision shortly. While the U.S. currently provides intelligence sharing and target identification to the coalition, direct airstrikes would mark a significant shift in American involvement. Strategic threats to energy and aviation The immediate trigger for this policy review is the intensifying Houthi campaign against Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure. Beyond the airport strike in Riyadh, the group has claimed responsibility for attacks that killed three Saudi nationals earlier this week. In response, the Saudi-led coalition announced on Friday, 9 October that it had destroyed more than 130 Houthi targets in a series of retaliatory raids. The conflict now threatens the Bab Al Mandab Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint for global trade. Yemeni government forces, backed by Riyadh, are currently attempting…