US sanctions Houthi leadership after reimposing terrorist designation

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday sanctioned seven Al Houthi leaders and an individual who sent Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine, a day after reimposing a terrorist designation against the Yemeni militant group.

The Iran-backed militants control much of Yemen, including the capital Sana’a, and have launched missile and drone attacks at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.

The seven sanctioned leaders “have smuggled military-grade items and weapon systems into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and also negotiated Houthi weapons procurements from Russia,” the US Treasury Department said in a statement, using an alternative spelling for the group.

Among those sanctioned was Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthis’ “Oman-based spokesman,” who the Treasury Department said had played “a key role” in managing the group’s internal and external financing network.

The Treasury Department also sanctioned Mahdi Mohammed Hussein Al Mashat, whom it named as the chairman of the Huuthi-aligned Supreme Political Council.

“By seeking weapons from a growing array of international suppliers, Houthi leaders have shown their intent to continue their reckless and destabilising actions in the Red Sea region,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“The US government is committed to holding the Houthis accountable for acquiring weapons and weapons components from suppliers in Russia, China, and Iran to threaten Red Sea security,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a separate statement.

The Treasury Department named the individual accused of procuring Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine as Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan al-Jabri, and accused the Huthi-affiliated man of generating revenue to support the Huthis’ militant operations.

Through a private company, Al Jabri “facilitated the transfer of Yemeni civilians to Russian military units fighting in Ukraine in exchange for cash,” the Treasury Department said.

The sanctions came a day after the United States redesignated the Huthis a foreign terrorist organization, conforming with a January order by President Donald Trump.