12 hours ago
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March 17, 2025 | 07:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Trump's decision to airstrike Yemen's Houthi on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
"We're doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping," Rubio said on Face the Nation program on CBS News as quoted by Anadolu, alluding that the U.S. will continue the attack with no intention of stopping.
Rubio's comments came after Trump's announcement on Saturday on his Truth Social platform that he had ordered "decisive and powerful" airstrikes against Houthi.
Trump accused Houthi of conducting "an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism" against American and other countries' ships, aircraft, and drones.
"It has been over a year since a US-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," he wrote.
He added that four months ago, the last American warship passing through the Red Sea was "attacked by Houthi over a dozen times," adding that the attacks cost billions of dollars to the U.S. and global economy as well as endangered "innocent lives."
Rubio emphasized that the airstrikes were not intended as a warning but as a direct effort to neutralize Houthi's capabilities.
"This is an effort to deny them the ability to continue to constrict and control shipping," he said.
According to Rubio, the Iran-backed group has been attacking or targeting 174 US Navy ships in the past year, while also launching 145 attacks on commercial shipping vessels.
Houthi warned Israel on March 7 to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza within four days or face a renewed maritime operation against vessels associated with Israel. The group ceased attacks after the ceasefire deal was reached on January 19 between Israel and Hamas.
Editor’s Choice: US Strike in Yemen Kills 53 as Houthis Vow Retaliation
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