Jan 17, 2024 at 11:51 PM Update: 4 hours ago
The United States officially considers the Yemeni Houthis terrorists again. The decision follows rebel attacks on US military personnel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. An American ship was also hit at sea on Wednesday.
Terrorist designation is an “important tool” to hit the Houthis financially and “hold them accountable for their actions,” according to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The rebels were removed from the terrorist list in 2021, after they were put on it under previous President Donald Trump. Joe Biden’s administration reversed that decision in connection with the major humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
The change will take effect in thirty days. According to Sullivan, this should prevent the people of Yemen from becoming victims. Aid to citizens must continue, he emphasizes. The adviser points out that the US decision could be reversed once the Houthis stop their attacks on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Biden had recently called the Houthis “terrorists.”
The Houthis attack ships in a show of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The rebels will continue with this, a spokesperson told Al Jazeera. He points out that the Houthis continue to support the Palestinian people.
At first, only Israeli ships and ships to and from Israel were identified as targets. But since US-British attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, the rebels also view US and UK ships as legitimate targets.
On Wednesday, an American ship was hit by a Houthi drone, the American command Centcom confirmed. This concerns the M/V Genco Picardy, a cargo ship flying the flag of the Marshall Islands and owned and operated by a United States company. There was some minor damage, but no injuries were reported, Centcom said.
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2024-01-17 22:51:00
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