US President Donald Trump unexpectedly returned to the White House on Saturday after cutting short his planned weekend stay at Camp David, as tensions continued to rise in the Middle East.
The White House did not immediately provide an explanation for the change in schedule. Trump had previously been expected to remain at the presidential retreat in rural Maryland until Sunday.
Changes to presidential travel plans are not unusual, including adjustments made because of weather conditions. Forecasts for the Camp David area showed rain and thunderstorms on Sunday.
Trump’s early return came as tensions increased following reports of renewed hostilities involving Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Saturday that the group had fired a ballistic missile towards Riyadh at dawn. The report came after a fire was reported near the Saudi capital’s international airport.
Following the developments, the US State Department and several American embassies issued security alerts to US citizens in the region.
The warnings cited the possibility of an “unforeseen escalation” and noted previous attacks by Iranian-supported Houthis against Saudi Arabia, including attacks involving civilian airports.
“This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the State Department warned.
The department also advised Americans outside the Middle East to “seriously reconsider travel to and through the region” amid the heightened security concerns.
