White House Re-Designates Houthis As Terrorist Group

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has released a statementconfirming that the Houthi rebels in Yemen have been re-designated as a 'specially designated terrorist group'. This development was expectedfollowing the sustained attacks on shipping in and around the Red Sea. The Biden administration lifted the terrorist designationin 2021, a move that has been highly criticised by White House opponents in recent weeks. The designation does not label the Houthis as a "foreign terrorist organisation”, a label that comes with more severe action, as well as making it easier to prosecute those providing 'material support' to the Houthis.

• Statement: "This designation is an important tool to impede terrorist funding to the Houthis, further restrict their access to financial markets, and hold them accountable for their actions. If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will immediately reevaluate this designation."
• Statement: "The designation will take effect 30 days from now, to allow us to ensure robust humanitarian carve outs are in place so our action targets the Houthis and not the people of Yemen. "