On Saturday, the U.S. warned that clashes between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis could escalate rapidly after a missile attack on Riyadh occurred for the first time since the resumption of the Yemen war.
Unexpected Return of the President to the White House
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, unexpectedly cut short his weekend at Camp David, a private retreat in Maryland, and returned to the White House. This early return comes as a new threshold in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, has been established.
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Saudi Attacks and Reactions
In the Saudi capital, loud explosions were heard in two instances, and reporters witnessed a fire at a fuel tank near the airport. The U.S. State Department also warned that "this military conflict has the potential for rapid escalation" and urged American citizens outside the Middle East to "seriously reconsider travel to this region."
The Houthi attacks in recent weeks have resulted in hundreds of deaths and have displaced over 110,000 people, according to the United Nations. These conflicts have also disrupted Saudi Arabia's exports, the world's largest supplier of crude oil, and maritime traffic.
The Saudi-led coalition announced on Saturday that a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh was "successfully intercepted and destroyed." The coalition added that these Iran-aligned fighters attempted to attack "civilians and civilian infrastructure" in several cities in western Saudi Arabia, including the port city of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with numerous airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas but has not been able to stop this advance. A military spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, stated that the group responded to the recent Saudi attacks with "two successful military operations."
This incident comes as Saudi officials accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca a few days ago, a claim that the Houthis vehemently denied, calling it an "old lie." These conflicts are putting additional pressure on the global economy, which is already affected by the seven-month war between the United States and Iran.
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