US could join Saudi strikes on Yemen – Trump

US President Donald Trump has said Washington may join Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against Yemen’s Houthis, signaling a possible reversal of his previous reluctance to intervene directly in the escalating conflict.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Saturday, Trump was asked whether American forces could join Saudi strikes against the Yemeni group, also known as Ansar Allah, following another deadly attack on Riyadh’s international airport.

"We may. We’re going to look at it," Trump replied. "We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly."

The remarks came after a Houthi strike on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital killed 12 people and injured another 309, according to updated figures released Sunday by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The dead included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals, among them an American. Some of the injured are in critical condition.

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack, one of several targeting Saudi airports in recent days. Speaking exclusively to RT, senior Ansar Allah official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said the strikes were intended to force Riyadh to accept a "comprehensive and permanent peace" and end the war and mutual blockade.

The renewed fighting comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have launched a major offensive to retake territory seized by the Houthis, including strategic areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Saudi-led coalition said Friday that it had launched "large-scale operations" against the group, destroying 136 military targets, according to its spokesman.

Trump’s latest remarks mark a potential shift in Washington’s position. In September, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman repeatedly sought US military assistance against the Houthis, but Trump ultimately backed away from authorizing strikes despite preparations for an operation, according to the New York Times.

Washington has reportedly continued providing Riyadh with intelligence and other non-combat support, but direct US strikes against the Houthis would open another front in the regional conflict.

In March 2025, Trump ordered weeks of US air and naval strikes against Houthi positions, targeting missile launchers, radar installations and other military infrastructure in an attempt to halt attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. However, the campaign ended abruptly in May under an Oman-brokered ceasefire after the Houthis agreed to stop targeting American vessels.

In September, Trump also claimed that the Houthis had contacted Washington seeking to avoid another confrontation with US forces, saying the group "would much prefer not having us involved." Ansar Allah denied making such contact.

The latest escalation comes amid the broader regional conflict triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran in February. The Houthis have expanded their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, threatening a crucial shipping route that Saudi Arabia increasingly relies on for oil exports amid disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.