Trump: US May Join Saudi Arabia Against the Houthis

US President Donald Trump said his administration is considering the possibility of joining Saudi Arabia in a military operation against the Houthi group in Yemen. Trump made the statement to reporters on the White House grounds on Saturday (10/10/2026) local time.

"Maybe. We're looking at it," Trump said in response to questions about potential US involvement in supporting Saudi military action, as quoted by CNBC International. "We just learned about the latest attack. So we'll make a decision. We move very quickly," he added.

The stance followed the deadly Houthi attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on the same day, which killed 13 people and wounded 309 others. The incident was the third attack on the Saudi capital's airport in a week.

Saudi Arabia Requests Urgent Defense Aid from US

Before Trump's statement emerged, two Saudi government officials told MS NOW that the kingdom had already submitted an urgent request for defense assistance to the United States following the attack. One of the internal official sources was a senior diplomat at the Saudi Foreign Ministry who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the military issue.

Trump described the airport attack as a horrible event and praised Saudi Arabia's military capabilities. he said, as reported by CNN Indonesia citing Al Jazeera, while praising Saudi Arabia’s military capabilities and calling the attack a horrible event.

If Washington decides to get directly involved, the move could widen the scope of a conflict that has so far involved Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group. But as of the statement, Trump had not announced a final decision on the form or timing of possible US military involvement.

Houthis Threaten Retaliation if US Steps In

The Houthi group warned the United States it would face attacks on its interests in the region if Washington decided to join the Saudi military operation against the group. The threat came after Trump opened the door to his country's involvement.

"There will be a swift and painful response targeting the US and all its interests in the region," a senior Houthi official said, as quoted by NHK Japan on Tuesday (13/10/2026). The official was not named in the report.

This raises a key question: will the United States escalate its support into direct military operations, or stick to intelligence and defense assistance for Saudi Arabia? Meanwhile, Saudi authorities extended the closure of King Khalid Airport until Saturday (17/10) due to damage from the attack.

Fate of US Strikes on Iran Still on Hold

On the same occasion, Trump was also asked whether the Houthi attack on Riyadh airport would change his decision not to launch strikes against Iran until after the midterm elections. "We'll take a look at it," Trump answered briefly.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran are themselves rising along maritime routes. In the Strait of Hormuz, incidents involving oil tankers and the US naval blockade of Iran add another layer to the regional crisis. Trump's decision in the coming days will determine whether the Middle East conflict widens into a larger confrontation.