Rubio says US 'doing the world a favor' by striking Houthi rebels

"We're doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping. That's the mission here, and it will continue until that's carried out," Rubio said during an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON'T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!"

The strikes come in response to the Houthis' continued disruption of transit in the Red Sea, something Rubio said Sunday would come to an end with the strikes.

"This is not a message," Rubio said. "This is an effort to deny them the ability to continue to constrict and control shipping."

"So we basically have a band of pirates, you know, with guided precision anti-ship weaponry and exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world," Rubio said. "That's just not sustainable."

The secretary of state said the strikes would continue until the Houthis "no longer have the capability" to continue to carry out such attacks.

"We're not going to have people sitting around with the missiles attacking the U.S. Navy," Rubio said. "It's not going to happen. Not under President Trump."