WorldPosted at: Oct 12 2026 7:39PM


Riyadh airport closure extended after Houthi strikes, Trump weighs US military action

Riyadh, Oct 12 (UNI) Saudi Arabia extended the suspension of flights at its main international airport on Monday after fresh Houthi missile and drone attacks killed at least 14 people and injured more than 300, as US President Donald Trump considered joining the kingdom’s military campaign against the Iran-backed Yemeni group.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh remained closed pending safety checks after successive attacks, including a strike on Saturday that killed 13 people and a further attack on Sunday that killed one, Saudi authorities said. The Houthis have also targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and fuel facilities, raising concerns over the security of civilian aviation and critical infrastructure.
Trump has signalled that Washington could join Saudi Arabia’s offensive against the Houthis. Asked whether the United States would intervene, he said: “We may. We're gonna look at it.”
The US embassy in Riyadh urged American citizens to exercise “extreme caution” when using major airports in Saudi Arabia, citing the repeated attacks.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom would respond to attacks on its airports and energy infrastructure, declaring at an energy conference in Riyadh that “fear has no place in the Saudi lexicon”.
The attacks have intensified pressure on Saudi Arabia, which has been fighting the Houthis and supporting Yemeni government forces for more than a decade. The rebels said their strikes were retaliation for what they described as “brutal Saudi aggression” against areas under their control in western Yemen.
Oil prices climbed on Monday as investors assessed the risk of a wider regional conflict and further disruption to energy supplies. Brent crude rose above $105 a barrel, while US crude traded above $92.
The fighting has also intensified inside Yemen, particularly around Taiz, a major city in the southwest that has been under a prolonged Houthi siege. More than 60 fighters from both sides were reported killed over the past 24 hours, as per media reports.
Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan called for the siege to be lifted, warning that dwindling medical supplies threatened emergency surgery and intensive care services. The Houthis have blocked routes out of the city, raising fears of further humanitarian deterioration.
The rebels also accused Saudi Arabia of launching airstrikes on two districts of Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital, on Monday. Their health ministry said one person was killed and 12 injured.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, spoke to his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan and discussed whether Tehran could help mediate between Riyadh and the Houthis
The crisis is unfolding alongside mounting tensions over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil supplies, where restrictions imposed by Washington and Tehran have heightened fears of prolonged disruption.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei blamed the United States and Israel for the shipping crisis, saying the waterway had remained open before their joint strikes on Iran in late February.
“If the governments that are concerned about this situation are genuinely serious about their concerns, they should address the party responsible for creating this situation,” Baghaei said.
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Tags: #Riyadh airport closure extended after Houthi strikes# Trump weighs US military action
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