Secretary Rubio’s Pre-Briefing Comments
Before entering a classified briefing with members of Congress on March 3, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to reporters regarding the ongoing military operations in the Middle East. He emphasized that the U.S. acted to prevent massive casualties that would have resulted from inevitable Iranian retaliation against American forces.
“The president made the very wise decision. We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces. And we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.”
Rubio further cautioned that the conflict is far from over, stating, “The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military,” and noted that the next phase of the operation would be “even more punishing on Iran than it is right now.” He identified the primary U.S. objectives as the total destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and their navy to ensure they can no longer “hold the whole world hostage.”
Registration for Americans in the Middle East
The State Department has issued a “Depart Now” order for U.S. citizens in 14 Middle Eastern nations. To receive emergency updates and register for potential evacuation assistance, Americans are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP):
- Official Registration Website: step.state.gov
- Emergency Crisis Intake Form: mytravel.state.gov
- 24/7 Emergency Phone (Overseas): +1-202-501-4444
News Sources and Links
- U.S. Department of State: Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to Press
- The Times of Israel: ‘Depart now’: US tells its citizens to urgently leave almost all Mideast countries
- Just Security: Early Edition: March 3, 2026
- Democracy Now!: Secretary of State Marco Rubio Says Israel’s War Plans Compelled U.S. to Join Assault on Iran
- The Guardian: Top Democrat slams Trump officials’ ‘totally insufficient’ answers in closed-door briefing
- U.S. Embassy in the UAE: Travel Advisory: United Arab Emirates March 3, 2026
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