President Donald Trump departed Camp David ahead of schedule on Saturday, returning to the White House amid heightened regional tensions, as Iran outlined seven conditions for resuming negotiations with Washington and Houthi forces in Yemen carried out strikes directed at Saudi Arabia.
Trump cut short a planned overnight retreat at Camp David, departing for the capital ahead of schedule. No explanation was offered for the alteration to his itinerary.
The development followed a statement by Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei that Tehran had transmitted seven conditions to Washington via Qatar as a basis for restarting talks, adding that Qatar had been kept informed throughout the process and had relayed those terms with the goal of bringing hostilities to an end. A spokesperson indicated that a reply from Trump had not yet been received.
Three of the seven conditions have been made public by Iran. Rezaei stated that Iran's position includes a cessation of hostilities across all fronts, the unfreezing of its financial assets, and the lifting of the naval blockade, describing these three points as the country's formal conditions. He added that Iran stood ready for a broader armed conflict should the United States decline to meet its terms, and that acceptance of those conditions would serve American interests. The spokesperson indicated that the group was prepared for full-scale military confrontation.
A security notice from the United States was subsequently issued, encompassing multiple nations across the Middle East region. US nationals present in or passing through Iraq, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Jordan received advisories to remain vigilant. The State Department noted that conditions across the area remain fluid and subject to rapid shifts.
Travellers received an advisory noting the potential for flight cancellations, airspace restrictions, and other disruptions to journeys. The agency additionally noted that Iran-linked actors and affiliated networks could pose a threat to American interests, enterprises, and institutions beyond the Middle East region. The notice follows a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" designation that the United States has placed on Saudi Arabia, citing potential drone and missile strikes attributed to Iran, ongoing armed conflict, and terrorism-related threats. The State Department has additionally noted that diplomatic posts and related interests beyond the Middle East region may be vulnerable to potential threats.
A notice was issued following renewed hostilities between Yemen's Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia. A ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh was reportedly shot down and neutralised on Saturday, according to coalition forces. The coalition further reported that Houthi forces made attempts to strike residential areas and non-military infrastructure across Bisha, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu.
During the night, authorities throughout the country posted public alerts about an airborne threat in response to an official government notice. A detonation was reported in Riyadh on Saturday, with people living near the airport describing a substantial column of smoke rising into the air. No injuries or property damage were reported by the authorities. Footage broadcast by a television outlet showed fire and smoke in the vicinity of Riyadh's main airport.
Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthi armed forces, announced that the group had struck locations described as strategically important in Riyadh, along with an Aramco petroleum installation in Yanbu. The statement described a combination of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drone weaponry as the means of attack. This marked the first occasion an air raid alert had been triggered in Riyadh since hostilities between forces aligned with Saudi Arabia and Houthi fighters escalated in July.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also commented on the Yemen conflict, asserting that concern for civilian lives was the only factor preventing a swift military resolution against the Houthis, while combat activity has continued to be documented across several regions, including Marib, Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf and al-Bayda. Forces aligned with the internationally recognised government in Marib reported repelling an armed incursion by Houthi fighters in the region's southern areas. Reports indicate the combat has reached an intensity not documented since a period of relative calm that followed the April 2022 ceasefire.
According to one television network, a US bomber took off from an air base in Britain bound for the Middle East, while an Iranian state broadcaster reported that air defence systems had been activated near the Kharab al-Jir facility in the Al-Hasakah region of northeastern Syria.
Earlier in the week, Trump indicated that the two countries had opened communication channels with Tehran and that he was weighing potential courses of action. He has also expressed an intention to meet with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Administration officials have not drawn any connection between Trump's departure from Camp David ahead of schedule and any specific developments on the military front.
Diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Pakistan have sought to restore a communication pathway between the United States and Iran following the lapse of an earlier agreement the month before. Rezaei conveyed to a broadcast outlet that Iranian military evaluations placed the likelihood of a further US strike as considerable. According to the source, Tehran's strategic planning now encompasses American naval vessels moving from the Gulf through the Gulf of Oman and into the Arabian Sea.
Rezaei additionally asserted that Iran had conducted a recent test launch of a multiple-warhead anti-ship missile in proximity to a vessel or aircraft carrier belonging to the United States. He stated that any further military action by the United States would prompt a response directed at American bases across the region, along with potential action against commercial enterprises operating there.
Washington granted travel documents to Iran's delegation — among them President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — opening another multilateral forum where the two nations could engage diplomatically.
