Yemen’s government is calling for the Houthis to be designated a terrorist organization following attacks on ships in the Red Sea
Yemen’s internationally recognized government has called on the United States and the international community to consider the Houthis a terrorist group. This is for having jeopardized navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden recently with the attack on several ships in transit.
During a meeting with foreign diplomats in Riyadh, Yemeni Interior Minister General Ibrahim Haidan said the United States should reinstate the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization. Not only for threatening maritime traffic off the Yemeni coast, but also for killing Yemeni children and violating human rights. Thus acting as a proxy group for Iran.
The call came as US Central Command said the Houthis had fired two ballistic missiles at the US destroyer USS Mason. This came immediately after intervening to prevent the attempted hijacking of the Israeli-linked Central Park oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
The missiles failed to reach their target.
In 2016, the same warship was targeted by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea.
On November 19, the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. They also launched missile and drone attacks against Israeli-owned or controlled vessels. This is in revenge for Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Faisal Al-Majidi, undersecretary of the Yemeni Ministry of Justice, said that the Houthis should have been included among the terrorist groups for years. Particularly since they started planting thousands of mines across the country, besieging cities, recruiting minors, blowing up opponents’ houses and kidnapping people.
Last week, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the United States was considering reclassifying the Houthis as terrorists after the Galaxy Leader incident.
The Yemeni government said the classification would prevent Houthi officials from traveling around the world. It would put a squeeze on their financial resources and hinder their goals of gaining international legitimacy.
“The world would recognize that the Yemeni government is fighting a terrorist organization,” he added.
