[09/09/2026 04:13]

WASHINGTON-SABA

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Houthis are agents and proxies of Iran, pointing to Tehran’s involvement in the group’s attacks and stressing that Washington is closely monitoring the latest developments.

“The Houthis in many ways are agents and proxies of the Iranians,” Rubio told reporters, adding that “behind some of this is clearly the Iranian hand.”

Rubio was responding to a question about a major overnight Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia and U.S. efforts to pressure the group to stay out of the conflict.

He reaffirmed that the United States maintains a strong defensive military relationship with Saudi Arabia and said Washington was closely monitoring developments, including ground operations by forces confronting the Houthis and pushing back against their advances.

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