Will Trump intervene to provide an effective protection umbrella for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks?

With the return of Houthi missiles and drones to target Saudi territory, Riyadh finds itself facing a renewed security challenge that affects airports and vital installations and raises questions about the extent of the United States’ readiness to engage again in the confrontation. At the heart of this scene emerges a fundamental question: Does US President Donald Trump have the necessary tools and, above all, the desire to protect his Saudi ally, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, from the escalating Houthi threat?

Ending the war with Iran or expanding it?

F sees. Gregory Gauss, an expert on Saudi affairs at the Middle East Institute, said that the most realistic option for Riyadh does not lie in military escalation, but rather in addressing the roots of the crisis by reaching a broader understanding that includes Iran and the Houthis.

The German website "On TV" quoted Gauss as saying that "the only realistic solution for the Saudis is to end the American-Iranian war," by convincing Tehran and its allies to stop the escalation. But at the same time, he pointed out that Trump's response to Saudi demands is still unclear.

A shift in Trump's position?

The bloody attack on Riyadh airport last Saturday, which killed 13 people and injured more than 300, reopened the debate about the American role. Trump said after the attack that he would “quickly” consider whether the United States would join Saudi strikes against the Houthis, adding: “We may do that, we will consider it.”

This statement represents a notable development compared to his previous position. A CBS News report in September 2026 stated that Mohammed bin Salman personally pressured Trump to intervene militarily against the Houthis, but the US president at the time refused to directly involve the US army, limiting himself to intelligence support and assistance in identifying targets.

Despite increasing talk about intervention options, Washington has not yet announced a final decision for direct military participation alongside Saudi Arabia.

The dilemma of the military option

According to Gauss, the United States joining the war against the Houthis practically means opening an additional front in the confrontation with Iran. He believes that the main problem for Saudi Arabia is that the Houthi attacks cause direct damage to its infrastructure and economy, while the Houthis do not face similar losses, especially since large areas under their control have already been subjected to great destruction during the years of war.

The American expert warns that the continued targeting of airports and vital facilities may affect investor confidence in the Kingdom, making the economic cost of the attacks one of the most prominent sources of Saudi concern.

Iran offers mediation and the Houthis threaten

On the other hand, Iran announced its readiness to provide support to facilitate dialogue between Riyadh and the Houthis and reach a political solution. This offer is seen within the framework of the possibility of Tehran using its influence on the group to push it towards reducing the escalation, especially in light of its complex relations with Washington.

But at the same time, the Houthis sent clear messages of escalation. Muhammad Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Ansar Allah movement’s political bureau, warned that any American intervention would be met with a “swift and painful response” targeting American interests in the region.

He also stressed that targeting Saudi airports and oil installations aims to convey a message that the war is no longer being fought far from Saudi territory, and that its continuation “will not be in the interest of Saudi Arabia,” as he put it.

The Houthis are betting on Trump and Netanyahu being busy

According to the German magazine Stern, the Houthis not only choose their targets, but also choose the timing of their attacks carefully. The magazine believes that the group has escalated its operations at a sensitive political moment in which both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu face internal and electoral challenges that limit their ability to wage a new confrontation.

Stern points out that the Houthis are no longer just a local group fighting a civil war, but rather have turned into a regional player that possesses advanced drones and long-range missiles supported by Iran, capable of reaching both Riyadh and Tel Aviv. The magazine believes that these capabilities make any direct confrontation with them more complex and costly for the United States and Israel.

Between deterrence and settlement