Yemeni gov’t welcomes US re-designation of Houthis as global terrorist organization

ISTANBUL

The Yemeni government expressed satisfaction Wednesday with a recent decision by the US to re-designate the Houthi rebel group, officially known as Ansar Allah, as a global terrorist group.

In an official statement published by the country's official news agency SABA, it emphasized that the US decision is consistent with the Yemeni government’s designation of the group as a terrorist organization in line with Yemeni laws.

The statement said the US designation is also a response to the Yemeni government's persistent call for international support in safeguarding the Yemeni people from the oppression and terrorism of the group.

“The Yemeni Government reiterates its confirmation that to establish peace in Yemen, the Houthi militia must abandon its terrorist approach and its loyalty to the Iranian regime, renounce violence and accept the peace proposals, including the proposed road map by the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and all good offices to maintain the security and stability of Yemen and the region," the statement said.

Wednesday’s decision reverses an earlier US decision in 2021 to remove the Houthis from the US Specially Designated Global Terrorist List (SDGT).

Tensions have escalated in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel.

The Houthis say their attacks aim to pressure Israel to halt its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 24,448 people and injured 61,504 others since an Oct. 7 cross-border offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas.

The US and UK launched airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in recent days in retaliation for the attacks, which have created fears of a new bout of inflation and supply chain disruption.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.