Trump leaves Camp David as Riyadh attack escalates

President Donald Trump returned unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday after cutting short a weekend at Camp David, as a Houthi missile attack on Riyadh pushed the renewed Saudi-Yemen conflict into the kingdom’s capital.

The White House gave no explanation for Trump’s early return, which came a day before he had been scheduled to leave the presidential retreat in Maryland. The timing nevertheless coincided with a sharp escalation in the Middle East, where Washington is already engaged in a wider confrontation with Iran and is weighing how far to support Saudi Arabia against the Iran-aligned Houthis.

Saudi-led coalition forces said air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis towards Riyadh early on Saturday. Major-General Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the coalition, said Houthi forces also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu, adding that the attacks were thwarted.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group carried out two operations using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, targeting what he described as sensitive sites in Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Saudi authorities did not confirm that those claimed targets had been hit.

Residents in Riyadh received warnings of a hostile aerial threat shortly before 3 am and were advised to remain indoors. Explosions were heard in the capital, while smoke and flames were seen near King Khalid International Airport. Saudi authorities reported no casualties or confirmed damage from the intercepted missile.

The attack marked the first time Riyadh had faced such a threat since fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensified again this year. It followed a series of Houthi strikes and attempted strikes on Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and transport routes as fighting widened inside Yemen and along the Red Sea coast.

The US State Department warned that the military conflict could “escalate rapidly” and urged Americans outside the Middle East to reconsider travel through the region. Its standing advisory for Saudi Arabia already tells US citizens to reconsider travel because of armed conflict, terrorism and the risk of missile and drone attacks, including threats from the Houthis.

Washington’s response is under growing scrutiny because the United States has so far avoided joining Saudi military operations against the Houthis despite mounting pressure on Riyadh. The escalation raises the possibility that further attacks on Saudi territory, oil infrastructure or shipping could force the Trump administration to reconsider the limits of that position.

Any direct US action would carry substantial risks. The Houthis have demonstrated an ability to launch long-range missiles and drones and have expanded their military footprint along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The United Nations has warned that fighting around the Bab al-Mandab Strait is becoming increasingly volatile, while clashes have intensified across several Yemeni fronts.

The conflict also carries economic consequences beyond Yemen. Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest oil exporters, and attacks on facilities in Yanbu or disruption around the Red Sea could add pressure to energy markets and commercial shipping already affected by wider regional hostilities.

Saudi Arabia has answered the Houthi offensive with repeated air strikes on Houthi-held territory. The group says its missile and drone attacks are retaliation for Saudi operations, while Riyadh accuses it of targeting civilians and infrastructure.

The renewed fighting has displaced more than 110,000 people in Yemen, according to the United Nations, worsening a humanitarian emergency in a country already heavily dependent on aid. UN officials have urged the parties to avoid steps that could expand the conflict further and to preserve the possibility of a political process.

Trump had not publicly linked his decision to leave Camp David early to the Riyadh attack by Sunday. His return nevertheless placed him at the White House as officials monitored a rapidly shifting security picture involving Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iran.

The administration this week approved a proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a package requiring congressional review and intended to strengthen the kingdom’s ability to deter current and future threats.