Trump Weighs Iran Strikes After Riyadh Airport Attack Kills 12

President Donald Trump is considering renewed military strikes against Iran and participation in Saudi-led retaliatory operations after an Iran-backed Houthi missile attack on Riyadh's main airport killed 12 people, including an American citizen.

The attack on King Khalid International Airport injured 309 individuals, marking the deadliest assault on the Kingdom since the U.S.-Iran conflict began in February. The casualties included four citizens from Saudi Arabia, two from Bangladesh, and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Palestine, according to a Breitbart report.

"We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.," said President Donald Trump when asked whether he had decided to join Saudi-led strikes against the Houthis.

Condemnation and Diplomatic Stalemate

Washington responded swiftly to the escalation, with administration officials condemning the strike on the Saudi capital's primary aviation hub.

"The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the terrorist Houthis, including today’s strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that took numerous innocent lives, including an American citizen,", said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Diplomatic channels have simultaneously deteriorated. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that Tehran has halted responses to Washington via Qatari intermediaries because the U.S. response to its seven-condition proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was "insufficient" and contained unclear terms, according to a Yahoo News report.

Strait of Hormuz Blueprint

Under Tehran's proposed blueprint, normal maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz could be restored within seven days if all conditions are met. Prior to the war, the waterway handled a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

Financial markets have tracked the rising geopolitical tensions. Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (NASDAQ: DJT) closed at $6.99, down 5.54% from its previous close of $7.40, as of 2026-10-16, according to Finnhub market data.