Trump weighs joining the fight against Houthis after Riyadh airport attack
CAIRO (AP) —
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Trump → weigh → attack
The international airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, was attacked again Saturday as the kingdom faces an extraordinary series of assaults in the new front in the Iran war.
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kingdom → attack → war
President Donald Trump said he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.
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U.S. → say → Yemen
The Houthis claimed attacks earlier in the week on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot.
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that → claim → pilot
On Saturday, a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights and many people were wounded
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people → strike → flights
, a regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media.
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they → say → media
We're going to look at it," Trump said of intervening.
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Trump → go → it
"We just found out about the recent attack.
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We → find → attack
So we'll make a decision.
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we → make → decision
We move very quickly."
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We → move → ?
The surge in attacks, including against other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure, has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis.
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coalition → include → Houthis
There was no immediate statement from the rebels, who earlier Saturday accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital.
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who → be → capital
Riyadh airport operations have been suspended
Saudi civil aviation authorities said airport operations were suspended and the extent of injuries and damage was being assessed.
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extent → suspend → injuries
An official notice to aviators said the suspension was through midnight.
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suspension → say → midnight
The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed.
Flights diverted elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker said.
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tracker → have → complex
Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport.
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Countries → include → airport
The attacks on Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, have rattled markets and the region.
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attacks → rattle → markets
And yet the Saudi energy ministry hours after the latest one was still promoting a major international energy conference set to begin in Riyadh on Sunday.
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ministry → promote → Sunday
Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces attempting to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea.
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coalition → back → Sea
Those gains gave the rebels better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that is a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships.
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Iran → give → ships
Though the Houthis have told the AP and others they are only targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them, concerns about wider attacks persist.
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concerns → tell → attacks
The Houthis previously attacked other ships after the war in Gaza began, calling it solidarity with Palestinians.
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war → attack → Palestinians
A U.S. bombing campaign sharply limited that.
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campaign → limit → that
Saudi Arabia has run low on interceptors, officials say
Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense support to the region, regional officials told the AP last month, with one noting that the U.S. has seen its own stock dwindle during the war with Iran.
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stock → run → Iran
Officials have said U.S. assistance has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the latest offensive against the Houthis.
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assistance → say → Houthis
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia said its foreign minister and Omani counterpart spoke by phone about the importance of "supporting diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions" in the region.
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minister → say → region
Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, has played a mediator role at times in the region.
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which → lie → region
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned the public this week that "filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability."
Flight disruptions are growing
The Houthis this week warned global airlines "for the last time" about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they described as a theater for their military operations.
At least 291 flights at the Riyadh airport had been canceled over the past 24 hours, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
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flights → warn → FlightAware
Before the latest attack, Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines were among airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for varying periods.
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India → suspend → periods
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis' ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a "greater focus on aviation infrastructure."
The missile and drone attacks and interception efforts "create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft," it said.
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it → expand → aircraft
Two regional officials said Houthi attacks on the Riyadh airport on Thursday damaged three planes.
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attacks → say → planes
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief the media.
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they → speak → media
The Saudi national carrier said one of its aircraft was damaged while it was on the ground, with no passengers on board.
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it → say → board
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