[Anchor]

U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted that he could strike the Yemeni Houthi rebels, who attacked Saudi Arabia, after the midterm elections. With Saudi Arabia also launching retaliatory attacks, concerns over an escalation of the conflict continue to grow.

This is reported by Washington correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam.

[Reporter]

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again strongly criticized the Yemeni Houthi rebels for carrying out attacks against Saudi Arabia.

He claimed that the Houthi rebels "are attacking Saudi Arabia in a very vicious manner" and that "it is highly likely at the direction of Iran, with the intent to raise oil prices before the midterm elections."

[Donald Trump / U.S. President: (Have you made a decision regarding the Houthi rebel attacks?) They are acting very viciously. (So what do you plan to do?) I mean, if I tell you I've made a decision, that's... The Houthi rebels are acting very viciously.]

Emphasizing that he "will still be here after the midterm elections," President Trump warned that he would not forget the actions of the Houthi rebels.

This is interpreted as emphasizing that regardless of the outcome of the midterm elections, he remains in the presidency and could order a retaliatory strike against the Houthis after the elections.

This message came amid a series of attacks directed at Saudi Arabia by the Houthi rebels, including an attack on the international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which left at least 14 dead and some 300 injured.

President Trump, who previously stated that he would not attack Iran before the midterm elections on November 3, mentioned instead that he could ask countries like Turkey to provide military support to Saudi Arabia.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President: I think President Erdogan (of Turkey) would grant my request. I have a lot of respect for him.]

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition launched sudden airstrikes on October 13, local time, targeting the Al-Sabah central base and underground reserve fuel storage facilities in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen.

This is interpreted as a retaliatory measure for the attack on the Riyadh international airport.

The coalition explained the background of the attack by stating that the Houthi rebels seized civilian resources and diverted them to support terrorism.

Concerns over a wider conflict are mounting further as the Houthis have threatened retaliatory attacks against the headquarters of Saudi state oil company Aramco and the Riyadh oil refinery in response to the coalition's strikes.

(Photo: Oh Jung-shik, Video Editing: Cho Moo-hwan)