The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions on Yemen’s Houthis, targeting 32 individuals and entities, as well as four vessels, in a bid to disrupt the group’s fundraising, smuggling, and attack operations.
The move comes amid a sharp escalation of tensions in the region, following Israeli air strikes on Sanaa that killed at least 35 people.
According to the US Treasury Department, the sanctions aim to pressure the Houthis to cease their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and to undermine their military capabilities.
The Houthis have launched hundreds of drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea since late 2023, which they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war in Gaza.
“The Houthis continue to threaten US personnel and assets in the Red Sea, attack our allies in the region and undermine international maritime security in coordination with the Iranian regime,” said John K Hurley, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The sanctions target several China-based companies that have helped transport military-grade components to the group, as well as petroleum smugglers and Houthi-linked shipping companies.
The new sanctions come as Israel stokes major regional tensions with a number of attacks across the Middle East and its continued assault on Gaza City.
On Wednesday, Israeli strikes on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and al-Jawf governorate killed at least 35 people. The day before, Israel struck a Hamas leadership compound in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Other attacks targeted Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia.
Two weeks ago, Israel assassinated Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi-controlled government in Yemen, in an air strike on Sanaa in a bid to get the group to drop its allegiance with Palestinians. The Houthis have vowed “vengeance” against Israel after confirming the killing of their prime minister.
Amid the escalating tensions, Jordan’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday that the Houthis had released Jordanian citizen Lana Shukri Kataw, the deputy representative of UNICEF, from detention.
Kataw was one of at least 19 United Nations staffers detained in late August, when the Houthis raided their offices in Sanaa as part of a long-running crackdown on international organizations working in rebel-held areas.
The recent attacks by Israel have sparked widespread condemnation and raised concerns about the escalation of violence in the region.
The Houthis have been targeting Israel and ships linked to it in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since Israel launched its war in Gaza.
The group’s actions have been met with retaliatory strikes from Israel, which has vowed to continue its military campaign against the Houthis.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the international community will respond to the escalating tensions in the region. The US and other countries have called for restraint and a return to diplomacy, but the situation remains volatile and unpredictable.
The conflict between Israel and the Houthis has been ongoing for several years, with periods of relative calm punctuated by outbreaks of violence.
The Houthis have been backed by Iran, which has provided them with military support and funding. Israel has responded to the Houthi attacks with airstrikes and other military actions, which have caused significant damage and loss of life.
In recent months, the conflict has escalated significantly, with both sides engaging in intense military operations. The situation has also drawn in other countries, including the US, which has imposed sanctions on the Houthis and has provided military support to Israel.
The imposition of new sanctions on Yemen’s Houthis by the US is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Houthis.
The move aims to pressure the Houthis to cease their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and to undermine their military capabilities.
However, the situation remains volatile and unpredictable, and it remains to be seen how the international community will respond to the escalating tensions in the region.
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