U.S. re-designates Yemen’s Houthis as foreign terrorist organization

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The United States announced late Wednesday the designation of Yemen’s Houthi group, officially known as Ansar Allah, as a foreign terrorist organization.

In a statement, the White House confirmed that President Donald Trump had made the decision to list the Houthi group as a foreign terrorist organization.

Trump initially classified the Houthis as a terrorist organization in 2021. However, the Biden administration later revoked this designation within a month of taking office. Now, the group has been re-designated as a global terrorist organization, reinstating stricter measures.

This move imposes harsher sanctions on the Iran-backed group than those previously enacted by President Joe Biden’s administration, according to the White House statement.

The statement emphasized that “The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade.”

Since November 2023, the Houthis, who control large swathes of Yemen, have reportedly carried out over 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

By Abdulsalam Khoja