Houthi Missile Strike on Riyadh Airport Puts Trump's Strategy Under Pressure

A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi movement on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, on Saturday killed 12 people, including one American. Others were severely injured. The Houthis are an armed movement that controls much of Yemen and is fighting Saudi Arabia. A Guardian analysis says the strike threatens US President Donald Trump's strategy for the run-up to next month's midterm elections for the US Congress.

Trump's plan

According to the Guardian, Trump said on Saturday that high diesel prices were the fault of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, because Ukraine attacks Russian oil refineries. He also claimed Iran's blockade of the strait of Hormuz was in effect broken, and said negotiating with Iran was impossible because Tehran has no single leadership. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan were largely expected to deal with the Houthis themselves. The US has had a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis since 2025, quietly renewed when fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis resumed in the summer. Trump has twice rejected Saudi requests for help.

Reaction and prices

Russia accounts for about 12% of global seaborne diesel, and its exports have fallen by roughly a third, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The Guardian assesses that extra Russian supply would not be enough to lower pump prices. The move to lift sanctions on Russian fuel was criticised by former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, while German education minister Karin Prien called it moral bankruptcy. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is due to travel to Estonia this week. Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said EU foreign ministers would adopt the largest sanctions package in the bloc's history on Monday, and that he and Sweden want to revisit using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

Options ahead

Trump could resume fighting the Houthis or turn on Iran, but that would be costly. The alternative is discreet, indirect negotiation with Tehran, as is taking place in Doha.