Trump says US may join Saudi strikes against Houthis in Yemen

US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Washington may join Saudi strikes against the Houthis in Yemen following an attack on an airport in Riyadh.

Asked by reporters whether he had decided to take part in the strikes, Trump said: “We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack. We will make a decision. We move very quickly.”

His remarks came after King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital temporarily suspended operations Saturday following an attack that left several people injured, according to the country’s civil aviation authority.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement that the airport was attacked Saturday afternoon, adding that authorities were still determining the number of people injured.

The US and UK embassies in Saudi Arabia also urged their citizens Saturday to avoid the airport following attacks, warning of security risks and possible travel disruptions.

Saudi authorities said Friday that three citizens were killed and others injured in two attacks Thursday targeting facilities at King Khalid International Airport and a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft.

Airport operations later resumed, and air traffic returned to normal, according to the aviation authority.

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for several missile and drone attacks on King Khalid International Airport and other Saudi airports in recent days.

Yemen has been engulfed in war since the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

ANEWS wp:paragraph