Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis warned the United States on October 12 that joining Saudi strikes would bring swift retaliation. The threat came as attacks disrupted Saudi airports and the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting three ballistic missiles.

Mohammed Al Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau, told AFP that retaliation would target American interests across the region. US President Donald Trump said Washington was considering joining Saudi strikes against the group. No decision to join the operations has been announced.

Warning extends to Saudi infrastructure

Bukhaiti also threatened Saudi infrastructure and urged employees at oil facilities and airports to stay away. He said those sites had become legitimate targets.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly requested US support as attacks on the kingdom intensified. Trump’s remarks followed a Saturday attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, that killed 13 people. Hundreds were wounded.

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The airport’s operations remained suspended on Monday. Its announced temporary closure was due to last until Saturday.

Coalition reports three missile interceptions

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed one ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and two launched towards Khamis Mushait. The latter is a Saudi city near the Yemeni border where a military base has previously been attacked.

The Houthis said they had again targeted Riyadh’s airport and attacked the Khamis Mushait area with a drone. Their accounts of those attacks have not been independently verified.

A Brazilian news report also said attacks hit Dammam airport and two Aramco energy facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia. Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman said recent events had tested the kingdom’s infrastructure, institutions and resilience. He said the response needed to be equally serious.

Fighting intensifies inside Yemen

The war in Yemen intensified again in July. A Saudi-led military coalition has supported the country’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis since 2015.

Brazilian reports said a Houthi offensive in September gave the group control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea. The extent of that control has not been independently established.

The Houthis also said Saudi air strikes killed at least nine civilians, including five children, in Yemen’s northern Al Jawf province. That account has not been independently verified.