New York, Sep 24 (V7N)- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington will honor its defense commitments to Saudi Arabia amid heightened regional tensions and recent Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.
Rubio made the remarks on Wednesday (September 23) while speaking to reporters in New York. He said the United States has a strong defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and would fulfill its commitments under the pact.
Asked whether President Donald Trump was considering further military action in response to additional Houthi attacks, Rubio declined to discuss specific options. He said the president has several options available.
Rubio described Saudi Arabia as a strategic defense partner of the United States and said Washington was closely monitoring the latest attacks targeting the Kingdom.
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic defense agreement during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington in November 2025. The White House said at the time that the agreement was intended to strengthen deterrence capabilities in the Middle East and deepen military cooperation between the two countries. Trump also designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally during the visit.
Rubio welcomed the reopening of a Saudi oil pipeline that had been temporarily shut down following recent attacks. He described the infrastructure as important not only to the Saudi economy but also to global trade.
Saudi Arabia has faced a series of missile and drone attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement in recent weeks. Saudi-led coalition forces have reported intercepting missiles and drones targeting Riyadh and other locations, including energy infrastructure.
Rubio also accused Iran of supporting organizations in the Middle East that target energy infrastructure and civilians. He further suggested that Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite militias could have been involved in recent attacks on energy infrastructure. These claims were presented by Rubio and were not independently established in the report.
The latest remarks come as Saudi Arabia seeks international support amid escalating security concerns, while several countries have reaffirmed the Kingdom’s right to defend itself and called for efforts to prevent further regional escalation.
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