U.S. warns Saudi Arabia-Houthi conflict could expand

The U.S. State Department issued a warning on Saturday, urging Americans to stay out of the Middle East. Citizens who are already there should increase their vigilance. Military conflict could escalate as Iran-supported Houthi forces engage in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, the State Department said. Due to the fighting, there could be flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions, it added.

Separately, several U.S. embassies in the region gave their own alerts. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia restricted travel for U.S. government employees to the cities of Taif and Yanbu without special authorization.

What’s happening in Saudi Arabia? Houthi rebels based in Yemen said they launched missile strikes on targets in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. The announcement of the attacks came after flames and a large plume of smoke were reportedly seen near the city's main airport, according to Reuters. Saudi officials later confirmed that the Houthis attempted an attack, but were thwarted, according to the Associated Press. Last week, the UN Security Council condemned the Houthis' repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.

What’s President Donald Trump’s latest update on Iran? Trump warned Iran to behave while speaking in an interview with Fox News. He discussed three possible next steps: a deal with Washington, increased economic pressure, or military action. There have been no publicly reported U.S. strikes against Iran for nearly two weeks.