US warns of rapid escalation in Mideast war

The United States has cautioned that the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis could "escalate rapidly," following a missile attack that hit Riyadh for the first time since the Yemen conflict reignited. U.S. President Donald Trump cut his weekend trip short to return unexpectedly to the White House from Camp David in Maryland on Saturday.

The White House did not provide a reason for the early return. In the Saudi capital, loud explosions were heard, with journalists witnessing a fuel tank belonging to oil giant Aramco ablaze near the airport. The U.S. State Department warned that the military conflict could quickly escalate and advised American citizens outside the Middle East to reconsider traveling to and through the region.

The Houthis' recent offensive, seizing large parts of Yemen, has resulted in hundreds of deaths and displaced over 110,000 people, according to the UN refugee agency. Saudi Arabia, the world's leading crude oil supplier, has faced disruptions in oil exports and maritime traffic due to the violence. The U.S. last week denied Saudi Arabia's request for a strike on the Houthis but subsequently approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday, emphasizing the importance of resolving regional crises through political and diplomatic means. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested that military assistance could be provided, including to Saudi Arabia, in response to the Houthis' attacks.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted and destroyed a Houthi missile targeting civilians and infrastructure in western Saudi Arabia, stating these attacks were thwarted. Claiming responsibility for the Riyadh attack, the Houthis stated they carried out two successful military operations using missiles and drones. This marks the first time since Yemen's civil war resumed that strikes have threatened the Saudi capital, adding pressure to a global economy already affected by seven months of war between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran's top negotiator conveyed Tehran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the U.S., as the conflict in Yemen has become the most active front of the broader Middle East violence.