A Houthi warrior with missiles
Washington: The United States Department of State designated Yemen-based Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group, effective 30 days from today. The Joe Biden administration had earlier delisted the Houthis as both foreign terrorist organizations and as specially designated global terrorists in February 2021 after its designation as a terror group by the Donald Trump administration in mid-January 2021.
Speaking after the announcement today, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam reportedly told Al Jazeera that the designation would not affect Houthis’ operations to prevent Israeli ships or ships heading to Israel from crossing the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Significantly, Houthis are backed by Iran. After the US and British air strikes with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, on Houthi establishments in Yemen on January 11, 2024, Iran condemned the strikes that “clearly breached Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The US said it believed that this designation would apply additional pressure on the Houthis to change its behaviour and turn away from Iran, and then for the Houthis to become a constructive actor in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) process. The US further claimed the Houthis currently used IRGC funding, training, and weapons to destabilize Yemen and engage in terrorist activities or terrorism that affect the region.
“So we will continue to also 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,” a senior administration officer at the US State Department said.
Yesterday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian had assured the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres that Yemen’s goal was to prevent ships from sailing towards the occupied territories to stop the “Zionist regime’s crimes and genocide against the people in Gaza”.
The US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken too met Guterres yesterday in Davos, Switzerland and discussed the multilateral response to repeated Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the lifesaving humanitarian work by The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and rising gang violence in Haiti.
Since November 2023, the Houthis launched “unprecedented” attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as the US military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said these attacks “fit the textbook definition of terrorism. They have endangered US personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of navigation,” he said.
The US said that despite countless warnings, however, and diplomatic engagement, these attacks from Houthis have not stopped. On January 15, 2024, the Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) at a US-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged merchant vessel, and on the morning of January 16, 2024, they launched one at a Greek-owned, Maltese-flagged merchant vessel, but no one was injured and the vessel remained seaworthy.
“Now, let’s be clear: We are taking this action because of the Iranian-backed Houthis’ continued attacks on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks are a clear example of terrorism and a violation of international law and a major threat to lives, and global commerce, and they jeopardize the delivery of humanitarian assistance. We have taken this action to pressure the Houthis to cease their terrorist activities, including missile and drone attacks against international shipping. The ultimate goal of sanctions is to convince the Houthis to de-escalate and bring about a positive change in behaviour,” senior administration officers in the US State Department said.
The US said this designation sought to promote accountability for the group’s terrorist activities. “If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the United States will reevaluate this designation,” Blinken said, adding that the Houthis must be held accountable for their actions, but it should not be at the expense of Yemeni civilians.
As the State Department moved forward with this designation, the US said it was taking “significant steps” to mitigate any adverse impacts this designation may have on the people of Yemen. Commercial shipments into Yemeni ports on which the Yemeni people rely for food, medicine, and fuel would continue and were not covered by the US sanctions. This will be in addition to the existing humanitarian carveouts that exist in many sanctions programs for food, medicine, and humanitarian assistance.
“During the 30-day implementation delay, the US 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,” Blinken said.
The US also said it recognizes the “grave” humanitarian situation in Yemen and is the world’s leading donor of humanitarian assistance for Yemen.
The US Department of the Treasury will publish 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.
Blinken said today’s announced action was being taken under Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
“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 February 16, 2024,” Blinken elaborated.
– global bihari bureau
