US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reaffirmed Washington’s defence commitment to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks intensify and Trump prepares to meet all six Gulf Cooperation Council leaders at the UN.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
When Saudi Arabia needed to hear one sentence from Washington, Marco Rubio delivered it.
“We have a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. We intend to live up to our commitments on it. We will.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the pledge on Fox News Tuesday as Houthi attacks on Saudi cities and infrastructure intensify and President Trump prepares to meet all six Gulf Cooperation Council leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Gulf Summit That Changes Everything
Trump’s meetings with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman will focus on the war with Iran and what both Washington and Gulf leaders are now calling the next phase of the conflict.
That phrase is the most significant signal from New York. The current situation is transitional. Everyone in the room is trying to shape what comes next.
Iran — Fighting and Talking Simultaneously
On the same day Rubio pledged military commitment to Saudi Arabia he said Washington was also open to talks with Iranian officials at the UN.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days if Washington lifted its blockade. Iranian President Pezeshkian is also attending the UN, putting US and Iranian officials in the same diplomatic setting for the first time since the conflict began in February.
Military deterrence and diplomatic opportunity are running simultaneously. That is not a contradiction. That is how serious conflicts end.
UN and G7 Both Condemn Houthis
The UN condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including an attempted strike on Riyadh, while calling for restraint from all parties. More than 21,000 Yemeni households were displaced over the weekend.
The G7 went further, calling on the Houthis to halt operations and urging Iran to stop arming them, warning of further regional escalation and trade disruption.
What This Means for Pakistan
Rubio’s commitment to Saudi Arabia adds a significant dimension to the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in August.
If the United States acts militarily in Saudi Arabia’s defense, Pakistan will need to define more precisely what its own collective defense commitment means in practice.
The Houthis have already warned Pakistan directly. Washington has now made its position equally clear.
Pakistan is running out of neutral ground.
— Imran Malik | World Affairs and Gulf Desk | MediaBites.com.pk | SharjahNews.ae
Sources: Fox News, NBC Today, Reuters, UN, G7
