> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thecontrail.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Trump Says the US “May” Join Saudi Arabia’s War. Airlines Have the Most to Lose - URL: https://www.thecontrail.org/us-saudi-war-houthis-what-it-means-for-flights/ - Published: 2026-10-11T13:17:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-12T13:30:08.000Z - Description: After the deadliest attack yet on Riyadh's main airport, Trump says the US "may" join Saudi Arabia's fight against Yemen's Houthis. What that could mean for the region, and for the airlines flying there. - Author: Miranda Heal - Tags: News, Saudi Crisis **Update, Oct. 12: Riyadh’s airport is now closed until at least October 17, and Dammam’s airport has also been targeted.** [**Read the latest**](https://www.thecontrail.org/is-riyadh-airport-open-saudi-airport-closures/)**.** The United States is considering military involvement against Yemen's Houthi movement following [escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia](https://www.thecontrail.org/a-passenger-plane-was-reportedly-hit-at-riyadhs-main-airport/), many of them aimed at the kingdom's airports. The decision could shape how quickly flights to and over Saudi Arabia return to normal. On October 10, Trump indicated that Washington was considering joining Saudi Arabia's military campaign after a[n attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people and injured 309](https://www.thecontrail.org/riyadh-airport-attack-12-killed-closed/), according to Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority. "We may. We're going to look at it," Trump said. "We will make a decision." The attack came two days after an earlier strike on the same airport killed three people, and it has disrupted flights and intensified concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia's civilian infrastructure. The US and the Houthis ### From No Strikes to "We May" Latest attack Riyadh airport, Oct 10 Killed 12 Injured 309 US decision Not yet made Sep 10 Saudi Arabia's crown prince reportedly asks Trump for military help against the Houthis. Sep 10 The US reportedly offers intelligence and targeting help, but no direct strikes for now. Oct 8 A strike on Riyadh's main airport kills three people. Oct 10 The deadliest attack yet kills 12 and injures 309 at the same airport. Oct 10 Trump says the US "may" join Saudi strikes and will decide quickly. Contrail Trump's comments could signal a shift in American policy. Although Washington has offered Saudi Arabia help with intelligence sharing and targeting, it has been reluctant to participate directly in strikes against the Houthis. In September, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly requested American military assistance, but Washington declined to launch direct attacks at the time. ![Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre tower silhouetted against an orange sunset sky](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1694018359679-49465b4c0d61?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHJpeWFkaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3OTE3MjM4NDZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. File photo. Credit: Ibrahim Abdullah / Unsplash For Saudi Arabia, American involvement could provide additional military capabilities and strengthen its efforts to protect airports, energy infrastructure and commercial shipping routes. Airports are a particular concern, as the Houthis have declared Saudi airspace a military zone and said any aircraft flying over the kingdom is a target, with the exception of Mecca and Medina. However, direct American intervention carries considerable risks. US strikes could provoke retaliation against American interests and Saudi territory, potentially drawing Washington into a prolonged regional conflict. The humanitarian consequences are also significant. Renewed military operations risk worsening conditions for civilians in Yemen, where years of conflict have already caused extensive displacement and economic hardship. --- ## What It Means for Flights For travelers, the stakes are immediate. Riyadh's main airport closed again after Saturday's attack, and airlines have responded quickly. Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have canceled their Riyadh flights for October 11 and 12, Etihad has canceled flights on October 11 and some on October 12, and Lufthansa has suspended Riyadh service through October 16. ![Bright baggage claim hall with white columns and a curved, lit ceiling at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ac/ed/acedfbb2-ff9c-499b-b431-eb36d7539be1/content/images/2026/10/IMG_5342.jpg) The baggage claim hall at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. File photo. Credit: Zach Benitez / Contrail American involvement would also raise the stakes for US airlines. [Delta is due to launch flights between Atlanta and Riyadh](https://www.thecontrail.org/delta-atlanta-riyadh-flight-launch-security/) on October 23 and has not yet confirmed whether they will go ahead. If American strikes provoke retaliation against US interests in the region, that decision becomes considerably harder. The effects extend beyond flights to Saudi Arabia itself. Many flights between Europe and Asia have been crossing Saudi airspace to avoid Iran and Iraq, and on October 9, Europe's aviation regulator advised airlines to avoid two areas of Saudi airspace. A wider conflict could push more airlines onto longer routes, adding time and cost to journeys to destinations such as Dubai, Doha and India. For Saudi Arabia's own airlines, including the new Riyadh Air, which is based at King Khalid International Airport, and Saudia, which runs one of its two main hubs there, a prolonged conflict would be particularly damaging. Whether American involvement shortens that conflict or extends it may matter as much to the kingdom's aviation ambitions as it does to its security. --- ## What Comes Next Trump's remarks do not constitute a confirmed decision to intervene. Nevertheless, they demonstrate how attacks on Saudi infrastructure are increasing pressure on the United States to reconsider its role. The central question is whether American military involvement would deter future Houthi attacks on Saudi airports or deepen a conflict whose consequences extend well beyond Yemen, and well beyond the region's skies.