Key facts
- A Houthi missile attack on Riyadh airport on Saturday killed 12 people, including one American.
- The attack challenges President Donald Trump's strategy of blaming Ukraine for high diesel prices.
- Trump had previously sought to downplay the Iran conflict and its spillover effects.
- Saudi Arabia's defenses are questioned after rockets fired from 900km away reached their target.
- The US has maintained a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis since 2025.
- Trump has rejected Saudi appeals for assistance twice.
A missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, which killed 12 people including one American, has prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to re-evaluate his strategy concerning the Iran conflict and energy prices ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump's previous plan involved blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rising diesel prices due to attacks on Russian oil refineries, while attempting to keep tensions low regarding Iran and its spillover in Yemen. He had also claimed the Iranian blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was effectively broken and suggested that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan could manage the Houthi situation independently.
However, the Riyadh attack, with rockets fired from 900km away, has exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi defenses and increased pressure on Trump to assist allies, especially after he had twice rejected Saudi appeals for help. The U.S. has maintained a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis since 2025, which was quietly renewed when hostilities recommenced.
Critics, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Education Minister Karin Prien, have condemned Trump's approach, calling it morally bankrupt and transparently ridiculous to blame Ukraine for price spikes that began with the Strait of Hormuz closure. European nations fear Trump's relationship with Russia, particularly after Congress passed sanctions against Moscow.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte is expected to address these concerns during a visit to Estonia, where EU foreign ministers are planning to impose significant new sanctions on Russia. Estonia and Sweden are also considering using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.
Politically, the Iran war appears to have already damaged Republican candidates, with polls indicating a negative impact on their prospects in the upcoming midterm elections. Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly working to counter Trump's narrative about the Strait of Hormuz blockade, with images of burning tankers proliferating.
Trump now faces a difficult choice: either rejoin the conflict against the Houthis, which would be costly, or potentially attack Iran directly, as some advisers suggest. An alternative is discreet negotiations with Tehran, possibly including uranium enrichment, though such a deal might be unpalatable for the U.S. and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. China and Russia are pursuing diplomatic solutions for the Houthi conflict, but the Houthis' objectives are broadening, complicating efforts to stabilize Yemen.