The Administration of the President of the United States, Joe Bidenannounced this Wednesday that he will rectify one of his first decisions and that, three years later, he will reappoint the Yemen Houthi rebels as terrorist groups.
But what implications does this measure have? Because right now? Will he impose the same sanctions as his predecessor? These are the keys that explain why Washington once again identifies the Yemeni insurgents as terrorists.
Who are the Houthis?
Led by Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis are an Iran-backed Shiite rebel group that has been at war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government for a decade and now controls the west of the country, including the capital, Sana’a.
The Houthis and the Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, reached a truce in April 2022 that has largely held since then, but in recent weeks the rebels have put international trade in check by attacking several ships at sea Red in response to the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
What has Biden decided?
The Biden Administration announced that starting February 16 it will once again consider the Houthis as terrorists, a designation that will entail a series of sanctions for the insurgent group.
The former Republican president donald trump (2017-2021) had already classified them as terrorists in one of his last decisions before leaving power, but the Democratic leader lifted the measure upon arriving at the White House so that the sanctions did not aggravate the severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
What sanctions will they receive?
Specifically, Washington has chosen to classify the Houthis as a group “Specifically Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT, in English), which implies a blockade by the US Treasury of the properties and interests of its members.
However, unlike Trump, the Biden Administration has decided not to put the Yemeni rebels on the list of “Foreign Terrorist Organization” (FTO, in English), which includes Al Qaeda, the Islamic State (IS) and Boko Haram.
Putting the Houthis on that list would lead to sanctions for those who provide material support to the group and travel bans, which could make it difficult for humanitarian aid to enter Yemen.
Because right now?
Washington sanctions the Houthis after the dozens of attacks they have launched in the Red Sea against ships they suspect are linked to Israel and in response to the bombings in Gaza.
The United States and the United Kingdom launched a series of strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen on Thursday to damage their attack capabilities, after which the insurgents fired on a US ship without causing serious damage or injuries.
US officials have assured that Washington “will consider” suspend the designation of terrorists if the Houthis cease their aggression in that area crucial for global trade.
What does the international community say?
The Houthis warned this Wednesday that they will consider as “a declaration of war any measure that harms the interests of Yemen”, while the Yemeni Government made a call days ago to the countries of the world to classify “immediately” the rebels as terrorists.
The European Union (EU) is considering sending a community mission to the area to guarantee navigation safety, Russia and Iran have condemned the American and British bombings in Yemen and China said it was concerned about the escalation of tension in the region.
Source: Gestion
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