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US redesignates Yemen's Houthi as terror group

January 17, 2024

The Biden administration has moved to put the Iran-backed Houthi group back on the list of "global terrorists." The Houthi have launched dozens of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

https://p.dw.com/p/4bLO1
A fighter, loyal to Yemen's Huthi rebels, stands guard during a protest following US and British forces strikes
Officials said they would design the financial penalties to minimize harm to Yemen's 32 million people, who are among the world's poorestImage: Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images

The US has redesignated the Houthi militant group as a global terrorist organization.

The designation will lead to stringent financial sanctions on the Iran-backed group.

The move comes after escalating tensions in the Red Sea that have seen the Houthis launch dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the vital shipping area. 

US and UK warplanes, ships and submarines last week launched dozens of airstrikes against the Houthis.

What the US said about relisting the Houthis as a terrorist organization

US officials said the move was aimed at cutting off their funding and weapons.

"The United States will designate... the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist," a senior US administration official told journalists, noting that the designation does not take effect for 30 days and that it could also be lifted "if the Houthis cease their attacks."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had delisted the group as both foreign terrorist organization and global terrorists in February 2021.

What is behind the tension in the Red Sea?

The Houthis, who control large swathes of Yemen, have said their attacks on shipping in Red Sea are aimed at supporting the Palestinians in Israel's war in Gaza, which began after militant Islamist group Hamas — also backed by Iran — carried out a terror attack on Israel on October 7, killing over 1,100 people and kidnapping hundreds.

The US, Israel and several other countries list Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Ian Ralby, a non-resident Senior fellow at the Centre for Maritime Strategy, told DW that it "doesn't take a whole lot to disrupt shipping" and the Houthis "have the capacity to be a thorn in the side of shipping indefinitely because a low-tech version of this could be a very disruptive approach."

He added that the internationally-recognized government of Yemen needed more support in dealing with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

"Part of that requires labeling the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and supporting the government of Yemen in re-engaging and taking back some of the areas that are being controlled by the Houthis and allowing them to launch these attacks."

US says it seized Iranian weapons bound for Houthis

kb/rt (AP, REuters, AFP)