Washington reclassifies the Houthis as a “global terrorist group”

Washington, Aden (Al-Ittihad)

The United States of America reclassified the Houthi group on “terrorist lists” against the backdrop of their repeated attacks on international navigation in the Red Sea. This came as the Presidential Command Council in Yemen affirmed that protecting international navigation is the responsibility of the entire world, indicating that the Houthi attacks have doubled and will double the living suffering of civilians. And the country's economic difficulties.
Yesterday, the US State Department announced the designation of the Houthis as a “specially designated global terrorist group” for a period of 30 days.
A statement by the ministry said that the recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have endangered sailors, disrupted the free flow of trade, and interfered with navigational rights and freedoms.
The statement added: “This designation seeks to enhance accountability for the group’s terrorist activities.”
The US State Department added: “If the Houthis stop their attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the United States will reevaluate this classification.”
The statement said: “The Houthis must be held accountable for their actions, but this should not be at the expense of Yemeni civilians.”
He added: “As the State Department moves forward with this classification, we are taking important steps to mitigate any negative effects that this classification may have on the people of Yemen.”
In a related context, a member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Aidaroos Al-Zubaidi, said in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the “Davos Forum” that confronting the Houthi escalation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab has become an international mission, as this waterway represents great importance not only to Yemen, but also to countries. The whole world, through which a large proportion of the world's imports of food, fuel and medicine pass.
Al-Zubaidi added, “The conflict in the region will continue as long as there are no deterrent measures against the Houthi threats.”
Al-Zubaidi touched on the developments taking place in Yemen, most notably the Houthi escalation against international shipping lines in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, stressing that the Houthi attacks have doubled and will double the living suffering of civilians and the country’s economic hardships.
In this context, the Chairman of the Yemeni Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, received yesterday the US Ambassador to Yemen, Stephen Feigen.
The meeting touched on bilateral cooperation between the two countries, developments in the Yemeni situation, and international efforts to launch a comprehensive political process that includes ending the coup and restoring state institutions, based on Saudi efforts and international references.
The Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council renewed the commitment of the Council and the government to a comprehensive and just peace approach, and to support the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy to end the human suffering caused by the Houthi group.