Trump Warns Houthis After Missile Strike on Saudi Aramco
President Donald Trump warned Houthi rebels after they struck Saudi Aramco headquarters, while he and Israel discussed potential joint operations against Iranian nuclear sites.
Middle East tensions escalated on October 14, 2026, after Houthi rebels launched a missile attack that hit the Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran. The strike drove West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices to $94.82 per barrel amid fears of energy shipment disruptions in the Persian Gulf. In response, the Government of Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Houthi-controlled oil facilities in the Hodeidah and Dhamar provinces of Yemen.
Donald Trump warned the Houthis against further actions toward Saudi Arabia and discussed a potential joint operation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to target Iranian military and nuclear sites. However, Trump later stated he would not strike Iran before the midterm elections. Simultaneously, the United States warned Iran against attacking warships in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy Commander to threaten the sinking of American ships.
In financial markets, U.S. equities were mixed as the Nasdaq 100 lagged due to losses in memory stocks. Federal Reserve officials provided conflicting outlooks: New York Fed President John Williams suggested one more interest-rate hike is appropriate this year but sees no need for hikes in 2027, while Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee warned that AI-driven inflation is pushing up prices in unrelated sectors of the economy.
