US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak on Friday and discussed cooperation to stop attacks by the Houthi militias in the region and eliminate their capabilities, the State Department said.

They discussed the importance of ending the Houthi threat to the Red Sea maritime security and surrounding waterways.

They also shared concerns regarding unlawful Houthi detentions of diplomatic, UN, and NGO staff, including current and former Yemeni staff of the US Mission to Yemen, as well as the most recent detentions of additional UN staff.

Rubio highlighted President Donald Trump’s Executive Order re-designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization as a critical step toward curbing the group.

He added that he looks forward to continuing to support the Yemeni government in confronting the Iran-backed Houthis.