United States reclassifies Houthi rebels as terrorists

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Wednesday that Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, will be redesignated as a terrorist group. The change comes in response to the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen attacking international commercial and military vessels in and around the Red Sea since November. The group will now be subject to penalties, such as being barred from the global financial system. The State Department said it would reevaluate its decision if the Yemen-based group stopped all attacks.

Why were they ever taken off the list? Blinken revoked the group’s terrorist designation in February 2021, citing the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen at the time. At the time, the United Nations and other humanitarian groups advised the state that having one of the country’s ruling parties considered a terrorist group could keep Yemeni civilians from accessing food, fuel, and other essentials.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in WORLD Opinions giving background on the Houthi rebel group.