US warns of Houthi escalation as Trump cuts short Camp David stay

The United States warned that fighting between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia could escalate rapidly, as President Donald Trump cut short his weekend at Camp David and reports pointed to preparations for American strikes against the Iran-backed group.

Trump returned to the White House on Saturday, a day earlier than scheduled. The administration offered no explanation for the change.

CNN reported that Washington was preparing a large-scale military response to Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. The newspaper also reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth left a football game in Texas to return to Washington. The reports did not establish when an operation might begin.

Citing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports, the State Department urged Americans to reconsider travel to or through the Middle East and warned of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures. “This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” it said.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh and thwarted attacks on other cities. The Houthis claimed strikes on the capital and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu, a major Red Sea oil export hub.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he was in a “deciding mode” over the war with Iran and that “very big things” would happen in the near future. “My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave,” he said. Trump also said he was “open” to meeting Iran’s president after Tehran submitted a list of demands for ending the war.

Any renewed US campaign would mark a shift from Washington’s recent reluctance to intervene directly on Saudi Arabia’s behalf. Reuters reported that Trump previously rebuffed Saudi requests for military action against the Houthis.