Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is traveling through Saudi Arabia as the Houthis actively launch airstrikes at the kingdom, which has caused the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh to issue a security warning for Americans in the country.
Murphy, who is a potential 2028 presidential candidate, initially flew into Doha, Qatar, on Saturday evening, then traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a Middle East trip he said was to assess the damage of the Iran war and speak with the leaders of each country on the impact of and efforts to end the conflict. The Connecticut senator addressed the Houthi airstrikes on the Saudis on Monday, blaming the situation on President Donald Trump.
“Both nights I have been in Riyadh there have been urgent alerts issued about Houthi missiles heading toward the city. This is now a full blown regional war – just as every expert predicted if the U.S. attacked Iran. A disaster of Trump’s making,” Murphy said.
The Houthis launched a series of airstrikes on Monday evening that its spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said targeted multiple Saudi airports, including Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Saree warned against international travel over Saudi airspace and said the Houthis launched the attacks using “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.”
As the United States and Iran are at war, the Houthis have reignited their attacks against the neighboring Saudis in recent months, targeting the country during the regional period of war after a yearslong peace between the two parties, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. The Houthis receive financial and military aid from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with the U.S. State Department considering the rebel group based in Yemen an Iranian proxy.
Fighting between the Saudis and Houthis picked up in July, while the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began in February.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert in response to the latest Houthi attacks, calling for Americans in Saudi Arabia to follow steps like “keep a low profile” and “stay alert at locations publicly associated with the United States.”
“Due to the ongoing security situation in Saudi Arabia and the potential for aerial drone or missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Mission strongly encourages all U.S. citizens to remain vigilant and follow the guidance of national alerts released by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense,” the embassy said in the alert.
Murphy has made several public posts about his meetings with regional officials, the damage done to the Riyadh embassy after it was struck during the Iran war, and his stop at an American university satellite campus in the Saudi capital.
“These are important partners, but imperfect partners,” Murphy said about the U.S.’s allies in the Gulf region. “I will be sharing my readouts of meetings and visits while I’m here. I just think it’s a very important time for members of the United States Senate on both sides of the aisle to be present in the Middle East as this war rages on.”
HOUTHIS STRIKE TWO AIRPORTS IN SAUDI ARABIA AS TURKEY AND PAKISTAN SEND TROOPS TO SUPPORT RIYADH
Murphy has been a critic of the Saudis, especially over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi’s business dealings in America, but the senator said he had an “honest, provocative conversation” for two hours with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit.
The Washington Examiner contacted the White House for comment.
