US president Trump re-designates Yemen's Houthis as 'terrorist'

US president Trump re-designates Yemens Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization — Shiite Houthi supporters in Sanaa, Yemen, 2022. Photo Reuters

WASHINGTON,— U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he had re-designated Yemen’s Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, as a “foreign terrorist organization” (FTO).

The move, confirmed by the White House, is aimed at imposing stricter economic sanctions on the group, which has been accused of escalating attacks on commercial ships and U.S. warships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis, backed by Iran, control much of Yemen and have been a key actor in the ongoing conflict there. This latest designation escalates the previous steps taken by the Biden administration, which had already labeled the group a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT) in 2024.

However, the administration had stopped short of reimposing the FTO designation, a move that could severely affect aid efforts and the flow of humanitarian assistance into Yemen.

The White House emphasized that the Houthis’ actions are threatening American security in the Middle East, as well as regional allies and international maritime trade.

According to the administration, the group’s attacks on shipping lanes, especially in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, pose significant risks to global shipping and trade routes.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have been responsible for over 100 attacks on ships operating in the Red Sea. The group has sunk two vessels, seized one, and killed at least four crew members. These disruptions have forced shipping companies to alter their routes, increasing travel times and costs as they navigate around the southern tip of Africa.

While the Biden administration had refrained from taking harsher actions, opting instead for military strikes targeting Houthi military assets, Trump’s decision signals a tougher stance. The U.S. military has previously intervened to protect commercial vessels, but has avoided directly targeting Houthi leadership.

At the start of his term in 2021, President Biden reversed Trump’s FTO designation as part of a broader effort to address humanitarian concerns in Yemen.

However, with the rising number of attacks on maritime trade, Biden’s administration did impose the SDGT designation last year. Critics argue the new designation could severely hinder relief efforts, with groups like Oxfam warning that the move will worsen the suffering of Yemen’s civilians by complicating the delivery of food, medicine, and fuel.

“The Trump administration is fully aware of the consequences of its decision,” said Scott Paul, director of peace and security at Oxfam America. “The hunger and disease that will follow are on their hands.”

David Schenker, who served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs during Trump’s first term, told Reuters that the re-designation is an early attempt to target what he described as one of Iran’s key proxy forces in the region.

“This is a clear signal that the administration is not seeking to negotiate with Iran through appeasement,” Schenker said.

The White House stated that the U.S. would work with regional partners to reduce the Houthis’ capabilities and resources, aiming to end their attacks on U.S. personnel, partners, and global shipping.

The designation will also trigger a review of international organizations and NGOs operating in Yemen, including a directive for USAID to sever ties with groups that have supported the Houthis or failed to counter their actions effectively.

In recent days, the Houthis indicated a reduction in attacks following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, the group released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged vessel they had seized more than a year ago off Yemen’s coast.

(With files from Reuters)