Rubio: Houthis Were "Suckered" by Iran into Conflict with US
Key Accusation
"The Houthis largely were smart and stayed out of all this throughout the conflict, but they now apparently have gotten themselves suckered into this." — Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Yemen's Houthi rebels were tricked by Iran into joining the conflict with the United States. Speaking on the matter, Rubio claimed the group had largely avoided confrontation until recently.
"They now apparently have gotten themselves suckered into this," Rubio said, referring to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and merchant ships in the Red Sea. He expressed hope the rebels would de-escalate, describing them as having been "snookered into this thing by the Iranians."
Accusations Against Iran
Rubio accused Iran of violating previous agreements with the US, stating: "These people make deals and then they break it almost immediately or they decide, 'oh, let's change the deal.' That's not how deals work."
He added that Iran is "paying the price for it" and suggested they might change their mind as they "continue to suffer great losses."
Rubio also reiterated the US position that Iran should be "denuclearized." Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.
Background
- The Houthi rebel group, which controls much of Yemen's populous areas including the capital Sanaa, is allied with Iran.
- Since 2023, the Houthis have threatened merchant ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's offensive in Gaza.
- US President Donald Trump declared a previous ceasefire deal with Iran "over" earlier in July 2026.