The Biden administration on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups in the latest attempt by Washington to stem attacks on international shipping.
"The Department of State today is announcing the designation of Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group, effective 30 days from today," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in a statement Wednesday.
"Since November, the Houthis have launched unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping. These attacks against international shipping have endangered mariners, disrupted the free flow of commerce, and interfered with navigational rights and freedoms.
"This designation seeks to promote accountability for the group's terrorist activities. If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will reevaluate this designation."
Officials said the "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (SDGT) designation, which hits the Iran-aligned group with harsh sanctions, was aimed at cutting off funding and weapons the Houthis have used to attack or hijack ships in vital Red Sea shipping lanes.
"The Houthis must be held accountable for their actions, but it should not be at the expense of Yemeni civilians," Blinken's statement added. "As the Department of State moves forward with this designation, we are taking significant steps to mitigate any adverse impacts this designation may have on the people of Yemen.
"During the 30-day implementation delay, the U.S. government will conduct robust outreach to stakeholders, aid providers, and partners who are crucial to facilitating humanitarian assistance and the commercial import of critical commodities in Yemen. The Department of the Treasury is also publishing licenses authorizing certain transactions related to the provision of food, medicine, and fuel, as well as personal remittances, telecommunications and mail, and port and airport operations on which the Yemeni people rely."
The Houthis' campaign has disrupted global commerce, stoked fears of inflation and deepened concern that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilize the Middle East.
"These attacks fit the textbook definition of terrorism," said one of three administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the announcement on condition of anonymity.
The designation comes after American and British warplanes, ships and submarines last week launched dozens of air strikes against the Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen.
The U.S. military Tuesday carried out its latest strike against four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, two U.S. officials told Reuters.
The Houthi militia movement, which says the attacks on commercial ships are aimed at supporting the Palestinians in Israel's war in Gaza, has threatened a "strong and effective response."
The attacks are part of a broad response to the Gaza conflict by a so-called Axis of Resistance – including the Houthis alongside Palestinian militants Hamas, Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Iraq's Shiite militias – with ties to U.S. adversary Iran.
"We will continue to counter and blunt Iranian malign influence wherever we can. So of course the choice to move away from Iran is now in the hands of the Houthis," said a second official, adding that the U.S. would consider lifting the designation if the attacks on shipping cease.
Humanitarian Situation
A Saudi Arabia-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Houthis in a war widely seen as a proxy conflict between U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Trump administration added the Houthis to two lists designating them as terrorists a day before its term ended, prompting the United Nations, aid groups and some U.S. lawmakers to express fears that sanctions would disrupt flows of food, fuel and other commodities into Yemen.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Feb. 12, 2021, revoked the designations in "recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."
The United Nations describes the humanitarian crisis in Yemen as "severe" with more than 21 million people — two thirds of the population — in need of aid. It says more than 80% of the population struggles to access food, safe drinking water and adequate health services.
Blinken was on Wednesday relisting the Houthis as SDGTs, the U.S. officials said, but not as a "foreign terrorist organization," which includes stricter prohibitions on providing material support to those on the list and would mean automatic travel bans.
The former designation "provides better flexibility to achieve the aims that we have in terms of carving out and safeguarding humanitarian assistance," an official said, a reference to measures to mitigate the impact of the move on Yemen's people that Washington plans to introduce before the designation takes force in 30 days.
"Today’s announced action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism," Blinken's statement concluded. "Ansarallah is being designated for having committed or attempted to commit, posing a significant risk of committing, or having participated in training to commit acts of terrorism that threaten the security of United States nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. This designation and the associated general licenses will be effective on Feb. 16, 2024."
Newsmax writer Eric Mack contributed to this report.
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