A missile attack on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh on Saturday has led US President Donald Trump to reconsider his diplomatic and political strategy. The strategy, which aimed to manage conflicts in Iran and Yemen while attributing rising diesel prices to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's actions against Russian oil refineries, was reportedly unveiled on Saturday.
The US president's plan included downplaying the political intensity of the conflict in Iran and its impact on Yemen until after the midterm elections. He had also claimed that the Iranian blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was effectively broken, providing figures on daily oil exports to reassure markets, and stated that negotiations with Iran were impossible due to a lack of unified leadership.
Following the Riyadh attack, which resulted in 12 fatalities including one American, the viability of this strategy is now in doubt. Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with Turkey and Pakistan, was largely expected to manage the Houthi situation along the Red Sea. However, concerns have been raised about Saudi defences, as Houthi rockets are reportedly reaching targets from 900km away.
The US has maintained a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis since 2025, which was quietly renewed when hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis resumed in the summer. Trump has reportedly twice rejected Saudi appeals for assistance.