The US put the Houthis on the list of "terrorist" entities in response to attacks by this force in the Red Sea.
"The State Department is announcing that we are designating Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Group (SDGT), effective 30 days from today," US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced on January 17.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the move was aimed at disrupting "the Houthis' funding, further restricting their access to financial markets, and holding them accountable for their actions".
US officials said Washington “will continue to deter and reduce Iranian influence wherever possible,” and called on the Houthis to “disengage from Iran.” Sullivan stressed that if the Houthis stop their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the US could consider removing the Houthis from the list.
A Houthi militia member marches through the streets of Sanaa, Yemen, to show support for the Palestinian people on October 15, 2023. Photo: AFP
Houthi forces have recently launched a series of attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade, raising concerns about inflation and deepening concerns that the fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict could destabilize the Middle East.
The Houthis have recently increased attacks on cargo ships passing through the Red Sea in an attempt to pressure Israel to stop its campaign against Hamas, the Houthis' ally in the Middle East's anti-Tel Aviv axis of resistance.
The US and UK last week sent fighter jets, ships and submarines to attack Houthi forces. On January 16, the US raided and destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, marking the latest attack against the force.
Location of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Graphic: AFP
Ngoc Anh (According to Reuters )
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