US designating Yemen’s Houthis as ‘global terrorists’

https://aljazeera.com/news/us-redesignates-yemens-houthis-a-glob…

The United States government has announced it is once again designating Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a “terrorist” organisation.

Washington’s move on Wednesday to relist the group as “specially designated global terrorists” comes after the US launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the rebels’ attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

These attacks by the Iran-allied group since November have disrupted maritime trade between Asia and Europe.

The Houthis say their attacks are aimed at ships with links to Israel and they will continue attacking targets until Israel’s war on Gaza stops.

“In response to these continuing threats and attacks, the United States announced the designation of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in statement.

“This designation is an important tool to impede terrorist funding to the Houthis, further restrict their access to financial markets, and hold them accountable for their actions.”

The designation does not take effect for 30 days, US officials said.

“If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will immediately reevaluate this designation,” Sullivan said.