A Saudi Arabia under attack could dictate the timing of a war against Iran

A series of attacks on Saudi Arabia, including one on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, has resulted in significant casualties and raised concerns about the kingdom's security. According to Saudi authorities, 12 people were killed and 309 injured in the attack on the airport, with the dead including nationals from Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt. The attack, which occurred without warning, is the deadliest in the kingdom in over a decade.

The attacks have been claimed by the Iran-backed Houthis, who are engaged in a conflict with a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The Houthis have launched several attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, including a missile strike on the airport that was intercepted, and a projectile that landed near Dammam airport. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out an air campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.

The attacks have prompted a response from US President Donald Trump, who said he would decide "very quickly" whether the US should join Saudi strikes on the Houthis. Trump also said that the war with Iran would end "one way or the other" very soon, without specifying how. Western embassies have warned their citizens to avoid the area, and several airlines have cancelled flights to and from Riyadh.

Brief written by urgent.news from Haaretz, The Indian Express, NPR, Japan Times, The Korea Times — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.