2024-01-17 15:55:56
Washington, USA (CNN)– On Wednesday, the Biden administration reclassified the Yemeni “Ansar Allah” group, known as the “Houthis”, as a “specially designated international terrorist” entity (SDGT), amid continuing attacks launched by the militia stationed in Yemen.
Biden administration officials said the designation is intended to deter the Houthis from their ongoing aggression in the Red Sea. This designation is the latest in a series of US measures targeting the Iran-backed group, and comes at a time when the specter of a broader regional war looms in the Middle East.
A senior US administration official said: “These attacks are a clear example of terrorism, a violation of international law, and a major threat to lives and global trade. They also jeopardize the delivery of humanitarian aid.”
The Biden administration had removed the Houthis’ designation as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (SDGT) and revoked their designation as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2021, following the Trump administration had designated them in its final weeks.
At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the decision to remove the Houthi designations was driven by concerns that it might jeopardize the ability to provide critical assistance to the people of Yemen.
However, pressure has increased on the administration to reimpose the designation amid the attacks in the Red Sea, which the Houthis claim are retaliation for the Israeli military attack on Gaza. The attacks had consequences for the global economy, effectively closing one of the world’s major trade routes to most container ships.
The administration did not relist the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.
Both terrorist designations trigger economic sanctions, but only the foreign terrorist organization designation imposes a travel ban on members of the group and allows sanctions on those who provide “material support” to it, according to the State Department.
An official source in the Biden administration said: “We believe that the SDGT designation is the appropriate tool at the present time to put pressure on the Houthis.” He added that this classification allows “better flexibility” to target the Houthis while reducing risks to humanitarian aid.
He continued by saying that the re-imposition of the SDGT designation would take effect following 30 days “to allow us to ensure there are robust humanitarian grants so that our work targets the Houthis and not the people of Yemen.”
Another US official said that the Biden administration will make contact during that 30-day period with organizations involved in humanitarian aid to Yemen.
US officials said that this designation is not intended to affect the fragile truce in Yemen between the Houthis and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. They also argued that the designation is part of a broader effort to get the Houthis to stop their attacks in the Red Sea.
1705518048
#Biden #administration #reclassifies #Houthis #specially #designated #international #terrorist #entity #goal
