The Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group threatened Monday to launch attacks against American interests across the Middle East if the United States joins Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen, amid reports that Riyadh has requested Washington's assistance in confronting the group.
Mohammed Al Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, told AFP that American participation in the fighting would trigger immediate retaliation.
"If the US becomes involved in the aggression against Yemen, we will not deliberate over the decision to respond, rather, there will be a swift and painful response targeting the US and all its interests in the region," Bukhaiti warned.
According to the Houthi official, the attacks are intended to demonstrate to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "that he can no longer wage aggression against Yemen from a safe position".
The threats follow a series of Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on oil infrastructure, shipping vessels and transportation facilities.
Riyadh's international airport has been targeted repeatedly, with one attack on Saturday killing an American citizen.
Explosions were again reported over the Saudi capital Monday night. The Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a Houthi missile, while the terrorist group claimed to have carried out another attack against the airport.
Later, coalition forces reported intercepting two additional ballistic missiles in southern Saudi Arabia, near the Yemeni border.
The renewed hostilities in Yemen began in July, when fighting resumed between the Iran-backed Houthis and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which receives military support from a Saudi-led coalition.
The escalation came amid a broader regional conflict that has disrupted energy markets and intensified instability across the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump addressed the growing confrontation Monday as his administration considered whether to participate in Saudi military operations against the Houthis.
"The Houthis are misbehaving very badly. They're misbehaving very badly. No good," Trump told reporters.
The president had previously indicated that Washington might join Saudi strikes against the group, despite reports that his administration had earlier rejected requests from Riyadh for American military assistance.