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By Barney Henderson
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The U.S. State Department has designated Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the department had restored the designation, which carries with it sanctions and penalties for anyone providing "material support" for the group.
"Today, the State Department is fulfilling one of President Trump's first promises upon taking office, and I'm pleased to announce the Department's designation of Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization," Rubio said.
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"Since 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as U.S. service members defending freedom of navigation and our regional partners. Most recently, the Houthis spared Chinese-flagged ships while targeting American and allied vessels.
"Separately, the United States will not tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organizations like the Houthis in the name of practicing legitimate international business."
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched more than 100 missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels navigating the vital Red Sea corridor since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023. In January, the group indicated it would scale back its strikes to target only Israeli-affiliated ships following a temporary ceasefire in Gaza. However, the Houthis warned they could expand their operations if deemed necessary.
In the final days of Trump's first presidency, his administration designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization. However, President Joe Biden reversed that decision early in his term, citing concerns that such a designation would obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen, a country already suffering one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Meanwhile, tensions between the Houthis and international organizations have escalated. The United Nations announced last month that it had suspended humanitarian operations in Houthi-controlled areas after the group detained eight additional U.N. staffers. Over the past few months, the Houthis have arrested dozens of U.N. personnel, aid workers, and individuals associated with civil society groups and the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. So far, none of the U.N. employees have been released.
The ongoing war in Yemen has claimed more than 150,000 lives, including both fighters and civilians, in what has become one of the world's most protracted and devastating conflicts. Since 2014, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been battling Yemen's internationally recognized government, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.
The humanitarian toll continues to mount. The United Nations estimates that more than 19 million Yemenis will require humanitarian aid this year as the country grapples with climate-related disasters, widespread malnutrition, cholera outbreaks, and the economic devastation wrought by years of war.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have ramped up their crackdown on dissent, imprisoning thousands over the course of the conflict. In a major escalation, the group recently sentenced 44 individuals to death, underscoring growing concerns over human rights abuses in the war-ravaged nation.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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