US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Houthis as Iranian agents and proxies after attacks on four Saudi cities injured 73 people
WEB DESK: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Iran of being behind recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, describing the Yemeni group as an Iranian proxy.
Rubio said the United States has a strong defensive and military relationship with Saudi Arabia and is closely monitoring the latest developments in the region.
“The Houthis, in many ways, are agents and proxies of the Iranians,” Rubio told reporters on September 8. He added that Washington believes there is “clearly the Iranian hand” behind some of the attacks.
73 people injured in Saudi attacks
The remarks came after a wave of Houthi attacks targeted southern Saudi Arabia, striking the cities and areas of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran.
Saudi authorities said the attacks targeted civilian and economic sites and left 73 people injured, including women and children.
Saudi coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki described the attacks as a violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and said the coalition would take necessary measures to confront the threat.
Energy facilities also targeted
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said several energy-sector facilities in the southern part of the kingdom were hit during the attacks.
Reuters reported that fires broke out at energy sites and that operations at some facilities were temporarily halted while emergency teams worked to contain the situation and assess the damage.
The attacks have also raised concerns about regional energy supplies, with oil prices moving higher amid wider tensions involving the United States and Iran.
US highlights Saudi defence ties
Rubio stressed Washington’s close security relationship with Riyadh as the situation continues to develop.
The US secretary of state said American officials were watching events in the region closely but did not indicate that Washington had announced any new military response specifically linked to the latest Houthi attacks.
Houthis claim retaliation
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they were carried out in retaliation for Saudi military operations in Yemen.
The latest escalation comes amid renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.
The Houthi movement is widely described by international media as Iran-aligned or Iran-backed. However, Rubio’s assertion that Iran was directly behind the latest attacks represents the US administration’s assessment and should not be treated as an independently established fact.
The developments have added to concerns over a broader regional escalation involving Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran and the United States.
