host belongs to bind-utils-9.1.3-3. I use xtraceroute component now but it may belong to bind. $ xtraceroute [..a bunch of unreleated startup messages skipped..] It appears that you are using a version of "host" that doesn't support the "-x" switch. Get the version by Eric Wassenaar atftp://ftp.nikhef.nl/pub/network/ (Or see the Xtraceroute web page.)
It's fixed in xtraceroute-0.9.0-4. You will fint it in next release rawhide.