US Secretary of State Rubio says strikes on Iran were carried after Israeli influence
Washington DC: Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State has reportedly suggested that the planned Israeli attack on Iran influenced the timing of Washington’s military action against the government in Tehran.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, speaking to reporters on Monday after briefing congressional leaders, Rubio said that the United States was aware that Israel was going to carry out an attack on Iran.
He stated that Washington expected Tehran to respond by targeting American bases in the region, and therefore US forces acted before such retaliation could take place.
“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action,” Rubio said after the briefing.
“We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
His remarks came just minutes before the US military confirmed that the American death toll in the conflict had risen to six. The confirmation came after two bodies were recovered from a regional facility that had been struck by Iran.
Tehran had reportedly launched drone and missile attacks across the region in response to joint US-Israeli strikes. Those earlier strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, several top officials and hundreds of civilians.
Iranian retaliation included attacks on US bases and assets in the Gulf, the report added.
Rubio said on Monday that even though the United States and Israel attacked first, Washington’s action was meant to stop what he described as an immediate threat, as Israel was going to strike Iran on its own, anyway.
According to Al Jazeera, Israel is a close US ally and has received at least 21bn dollars in military aid from Washington since 2023.
“There absolutely was an imminent threat,” Rubio said.
“And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked – and we believed they would be attacked – that they would immediately come after us,” he added.
According to the report, his assertion pointed to Israel’s role in the events that led to the war with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for years called for action against Tehran.
On Sunday, Netanyahu said that the attacks on Iran were being carried out with the help of the “friend”, US President Donald Trump.
“This coalition of forces allows us to do what I have yearned to do for 40 years,” the Israeli prime minister reportedly stated in a video message.
Rubio also said that action against Iran was necessary because Tehran was building up missiles and drones. He said these weapons would have been used to protect Iran’s nuclear programme and to obtain a nuclear bomb.
The United States and Israel began the war less than 48 hours after a round of talks between American and Iranian officials regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme, the report added.
Rubio stated that the aim of the war is to destroy Iran’s missile and drone programmes. At the same time, he said the US would welcome a change in Iran’s governing system.
“We would not be heartbroken, and we hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government and establish a new future for that country. We would love for that to be possible,” he added.
Later on Monday, Washington issued an advisory urging US citizens in more than a dozen countries in the Middle East to leave immediately. The countries mentioned included Gulf Cooperation Council nations, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The advisory cited increasing unrest and threats in the region.
The State Department “urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks”, US official Mora Namdar reportedly said on X.
The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from… pic.twitter.com/vdplAik2Sq
— Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) March 2, 2026
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Airlines to operate 48 flights per hour, says UAE Min.; Here’s what you need to know ?
Abu Dhabi: UAE’s Minister for Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri has announced that the UAE has opened safe air corridors in coordination with gulf countries, Gulf News reported.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri also stated that at present the handling capacity is 48 flights per hour.
“The capacity as of today, based on the emergency routes available, is 48 flights per hour with a possibility of increasing this figure at a later stage, according to the latest development and security ratings and measures,” the UAE based English daily quoted the Minister as saying.
The Minister furthermore stated that from March 1 to March 3, a total of 17,498 passengers travelled on 60 flights. In the next phase, 80 flights are scheduled with national carriers, totalling 27,000 passengers. He said the following phases would be launched based on how the security situation evolves and when conditions are deemed safe.
However, regular commercial operations of Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Air Arabia are yet to resume. flydubai has begun limited operations.
Speaking on the reopening of airspace, the Minister clarified that the General Civil Aviation Authority is conducting ongoing coordination and monitoring with partners to assess developments and enable a gradual and safe return of air navigation in the country’s airspace.
As part of the response, limited operational flights have begun to facilitate the return of citizens and residents.
He said, “Airspace safety and human safety will always remain our first priority.”
The Minister urged affected passengers not to proceed to airports unless contacted directly by their airlines, in order to avoid congestion and ensure the smooth flow of travellers during this phase.
UAE airports and national carriers, including Etihad, Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia, have instructed passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have received a call from the airline asking them to do so.
According to the newspaper, all airlines have resumed limited operations, with priority being given to stranded passengers. In the meantime, the Minister said the government has agreed to cover expenses for stranded tourists' stay and food.
He said, “the UAE economy has proven its resilience in absorbing pressures generated by geopolitical and regional challenges,” and reaffirmed that economic stability remains firmly intact.
On the safe air corridors, the Minister said they were established in coordination with neighbouring countries and Gulf Cooperation Council states, as well as with the International Civil Aviation Organization, activating approved regional emergency aviation plans.
He explained that the current emergency routing capacity allows for 48 flights per hour, with the possibility of gradually increasing that number in line with developments and safety assessments.
The Minister also said that the UAE economy has demonstrated strong resilience and maintained stability with high efficiency despite geopolitical and regional pressures.
He said the country adopted proactive and flexible strategies that strengthened the economy and enhanced its ability to absorb external shocks, including previous crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and other regional and international challenges.
