Rubio: US has no plans for ground operation in Yemen

The United States has no intention of conducting ground operations in Yemen against the Houthis, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated.

“I haven't heard any talk about ground operations. I don't think that's necessary right now,” Rubio said in an interview with CBS’s Face The Nation, addressing speculation about potential US military escalation, per Caliber.Az.

He emphasized that the US airstrikes in Yemen on March 15 were specifically aimed at disrupting the Houthis’ ability to attack both civilian and US Navy vessels.

Rubio defended the strikes, asserting that they serve a broader international interest. “We’re doing the world a favour by denying these guys the ability to interfere with world shipping. And that will continue until the task is done,” he stressed.

The Secretary of State also pointed to Iran’s role in supporting the Houthis, issuing a stark warning: “This was a message to Iran: stop supporting them, or you too will be held accountable for what they are doing.”

Meanwhile, the Houthis have claimed responsibility for a major assault on the USS Harry S. Truman and its accompanying warships in the northern Red Sea. According to the group’s statement on March 16, they launched 18 ballistic and cruise missiles along with drones in a retaliatory strike.

Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the attack was in response to over 47 US airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas. “The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target all American warships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea in retaliation for the aggression against our country,” Saree declared.

The US airstrikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted multiple Houthi positions, including the capital Sanaa and the northern province of Saada, a key stronghold bordering Saudi Arabia. Both Washington and the Houthis have signalled that further escalations could follow.

The Houthis have been actively targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, citing their actions as a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas. The attacks had temporarily ceased following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on January 19 — just a day before Trump took office. However, the Houthis recently announced they would resume targeting Israeli-linked vessels after Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza, restricting humanitarian aid.

By Tamilla Hasanova