Trump Redesignates Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels as Foreign Terrorists
Click to start listening
Synopsis
US President Donald Trump has reclassified Yemen's Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), overturning a previous Biden administration policy that had omitted the group from the State Department's terror list. The executive order allows for enhanced sanctions against the Iran-backed militia, which has conducted missile strikes against Israel and threatened regional stability.
Key Takeaways
- Trump's executive order reclassifies Houthis as FTO.
- This reverses a Biden-era policy.
- Provides more sanctions authority against the Houthis.
- Houthis have launched over 300 attacks on Israel.
- US aims to cooperate with regional partners against Houthis.
Washington, Jan 23 (NationPress) - US President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order that reclassifies Yemen's Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), reversing a policy established during the Biden administration that had excluded the group from the State Department's global terror roster.
This executive order, signed by Trump on Wednesday, enhances the US government's capacity to impose sanctions, equipping Trump with more mechanisms to target the Iran-supported Yemeni militant faction.
This decision follows a series of ballistic missile launches by the Houthis, also referred to as Ansar Allah, towards Israel over recent months, including an incident as recent as Saturday.
Since their rise to power in 2015 amid Yemen's civil conflict, the Houthis have significantly disrupted global shipping routes since late 2023, claiming their actions are in solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinian cause in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Both Democratic and Republican officials had urged former President Joe Biden to revisit his February 2021 decision to delist the Houthis from the FTO designation, citing humanitarian reasons for his earlier choice.
His administration maintained that the removal was crucial for improving humanitarian access for civilians in Yemen amidst the ongoing civil strife.
In January 2024, Biden reclassified the Houthis as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a designation that lacks the severity of the FTO label and failed to meet the expectations of Congress members who advocated for the stronger classification.
In November 2024, Senator Jacky Rosen (Democrat, Nevada) and then-Senator Marco Rubio (Republican, Florida) spearheaded a letter urging Biden to restore the FTO status to the Houthis. Rubio is currently serving as Trump's Secretary of State.
The executive order states, "The Houthis' actions pose a threat to the safety of American citizens and personnel in the Middle East, the security of our key regional allies, and the stability of international maritime commerce," highlighting that the Houthis have launched over 300 attacks on Israel since October 2023.
"Backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, the Houthis have targeted US Navy vessels on numerous occasions since 2023, jeopardizing the lives of American military personnel," the order continues.
The order also outlines the US's strategic approach towards the Houthis. Washington aims to "collaborate with its regional allies to dismantle Ansar Allah's operational capabilities, cut off its resources, and ultimately halt its assaults on US personnel, civilians, and maritime navigation in the Red Sea," as stated in the executive order.
