US intends to 'live by' security pact with Saudi Arabia: Rubio
Secretary of state affirms Riyadh's right to self-defense as Yemeni government launches offensive against Houthis, who have attacked Saudi soil
The US intends to uphold its bilateral security commitments with Saudi Arabia amid renewed military confrontations involving Houthi forces in Yemen, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday.
"The United States has a defense and security agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we intend to live by it," Rubio told reporters ahead of a European tour including Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, declining to elaborate on operational specifics.
Rubio said that in the face of continuous Houthi attacks, Riyadh has "a right to defend themselves," adding that Yemeni allied forces are trying to recover areas lost during previous clashes.
Addressing control around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Rubio said Saudi and Yemeni troops oppose Houthi domination near the maritime corridor, describing local counter-offensives as an expected development.
The remarks follow Monday’s announcement by Rashad al-Alimi, the chair of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, of the launch of a military operation to retake the capital Sanaa with the support of the country’s “brothers and friends” and restore state institutions from the Houthis, who have controlled the city since 2014. Yemeni army units reported securing the Dhubab district and strategic positions along the strait.
Washington has so far rejected direct participation in kinetic strikes in support of the campaign, preferring instead to provide intelligence and advisory assistance to Saudi Arabia.
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