On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order re-designating Yemen’s Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” a move that will impede aid deliveries to Yemen and complicate the chances of a lasting peace deal between the Saudis and the Houthis.
The FTO designation makes it a crime under US law to provide “material support or resources” to the Houthis, essentially making it illegal to deliver aid to Houthi-controlled Yemen, which is where 70% to 80% of Yemenis live.
In response to the designation, Hashem Sharafeddine, Yemen’s information minister, said the US had no right to issue the designation. “The criminal US regime, a partner in Israeli terrorism, has no right to label others as terrorists,” he said.
The previous Trump administration first designated the Houthis as both an FTO and as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” in 2021, a move that was quickly reversed by the Biden administration over dire warnings from aid groups that it would push millions into famine.
In 2024, the Biden administration reinstated the SDGT designation on the Houthis, which makes anyone who deals with the Houthis a potential target of US sanctions, but it’s not considered as harsh as the FTO designation.
The Biden administration slapped the SDGT label back on the Houthis when it began its bombing campaign against the Yemeni group, which only escalated the situation in the Red Sea. Israeli media reported that the Trump administration may escalate the war against the Houthis, but now that a Gaza ceasefire deal has been reached, Yemeni attacks on Israel and on Red Sea shipping have ceased.
The executive order said that it’s the “policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate Ansar Allah’s capabilities and operations, deprive it of resources, and thereby end its attacks on US personnel and civilians, US partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea.”
Besides impeding aid deliveries to a country that’s been dealing with a major hunger crisis for years, the terror designations also prevent the Saudis and the Houthis from signing a peace deal. A ceasefire between the Houthis and Saudis has held relatively well since April 2022, though there has been fighting on the ground, but no lasting deal has been implemented.
The warring sides reached an agreement that satisfied all parties, but the first phase includes the payment of Yemeni civil workers in Houthi-controlled areas, and that has been blocked by the SDGT designation.
From 2015-2022, the US supported the brutal Saudi/UAE war against the Houthis, which involved heavy airstrikes, a ground campaign, and a blockade. According to the UN, the war killed at least 377,000 people, with more than half dying of starvation and disease caused by the siege.
If the Houthis are attacking commerce traffic in the sea, then they are terrorists.
Even if they're working to thwart a genocide (that no one else was doing anything about by the way, to say the least)? You might say they were fighting State terrorism.
The US and Europeans, always claiming to stand principled on the side of human rights and loftily see commerce in service of that higher purpose, human prosperity and such, what the American government should do and steer their policies to be in line with the Genocide Convention as a minor detail, is to declare the Israeli government as an SDGT at minimum and an FTO if they are actually principled. At least until they see the error of their ways.
Shipping in the Red Sea would immediately benefit if at least the Israeli would not be provided by the US with the missiles to sink them instead.
Jeez, with the US leaving the WHO, expect that Trump will have America "leave" the Geneva Conventions the moment someone reminds him they exist.
Even if they're working to thwart a genocide (that no one else was doing anything about by the way, to say the least)? You might say they were fighting State terrorism.
Ah, the priorities of a Trumpster.
The majority who support Trump believe him to be the peace president who should get the Nobel Peace price.
They don't realize why Trump does not want wars. Wars interfere with his ambition to extent his real estate around the world. He believes that somehow he can just take Greenland, Canada and Panama just because he is Trump. but should that fail he said he would consider other means.
The reason he needs ceasefire in Gaza is because he cannot build his vacation paradise on the Gaza strip with all the bombs and bloodshed.
At least Trump's denuclearization rhetoric towards the Russian Federation and the DPRC goes to show he understands that his wealth (technical wealth, when not bankrupt) and prestige will not count for anything in a post-apocalyptic setting.
He acts out of sheer self-interest. And if anyone (wealthy, White, Christian)(pick two) happens to benefit from Trump's selfish game plan, that's just a weird unforeseen consequence he can probably live with.
Indeed.
1. Hear Trump lie.
2. Convince self the lie is the truth.
3. Believe Trump is telling the truth.
4. Support Trump regardless of action or outcome.
Trump can't help it, he is a COMPULSIVE liar, he just can't help himself, so stick to #4.
No, then they're pirates.
No more than Americans, why are there American warships thousands of miles away from their own waters? What did the Houthis do to American interests? Pilots in Gaza bombing civilian properties and unarmed people including children, babies and toddlers included, they are real terrorists, why do they kill women and children?
That is terrorism in my eyes too.
To cite that TV commercial from years ago … "America's Navy : A Global Force, For Good"
(comma was my insert)
If the US finances terrorism in other countries, then the Americans are terrorists.
This only adds weight to the idea that anyone who thinks that Trump is going to "get tough" on the Israeli government has another "think" coming.
This is about the business traffic in the sea, not Israel. So, you need some rethinking.
The zionists are red hot mad over the deal Trump made.
You folks jump to that right away, every time, trying to blame Trump. How about following what Trump does, and what he says about Netanyahu, which is not complimentary.
Doesn't look too "hopping mad" here:
Sure, to hunger Yemen is about business traffic. Why not? Saint Trump has come to the rescue of business traffic from the evil Yemeni. The evil Yemeni hate innocent business traffic. They may even hate genocide. The good kind of genocide. Clearly they should suffer.
Now if Biden would have done that, we would be talking about something sinister.
You need to rethink. Houthis started not only firing on sea traffic but also directly at Israel cities. It is not just about firing at sea traffic.
But the Houthi's have stopped their attacks on that business traffic since the cease fire started. Why put them on the terrorist list now?
I think they’ve stopped targeting Israel – not necessarily shipping.
Didn’t they just take out a British cargo vessel yesterday?
I hadn't heard of that.
It's all about Israel because the Houthis have the ball to defy the USA adn Israel and are trying to help the Palestinians who are being slaughtered by the IDF and USA.
One man’s terrorist is another’s Freedom Fighter…!…
Not surprising. Houthis jumped into the Gaza war. They fired on Israel, on neutral shipping and on US and UK warships. What dummies.
The Houthi's jumped in when it was obvious that the barbarians in Israel were killing anything that moved. That should be something anyone with an ounce of empathy would applaud. But look who I'm talking to.
They had balls and courage while the rest of the world sat around like wet noodles.
"They had balls and courage" . That still was a stupid move by them. Now the "bill" for their action is coming due. Probably for 4 yeas.
It wasn't "stupid", it was genuine. It's called empathy. Proven by the fact that they stopped their attacks as soon as the cease fire was announced. No slaughter, no attacks. Something, obviously, too difficult for you to grasp.
Major Burns is ignoring the direct correlation between cessation of Houthi actions and the ceasefire. It flies in the face of his bulls**t assertion that everyone is irrational EXCEPT the Apartheid State of Israel.
What else do you expect from a filthy Zionist troll…!
The Houthi join the war that was their decision. And as long as Iran was giving them free missiles the Houthi were OK with the small price they are paying to be in the war. Now the price just went up.
And it was Israeli's decision to slaughter thousands upon thousands of women and children. But the Houthi's have more empathy for innocents than you do since you obviously have none.
Demonstrate that the Islamic Republic of Iran supplied the Houthi with "free missiles". I do not believe your claim.
He forgets that the US saturated the entire region with weapons not really caring where they ended up.
The Americans and UK are the big dummies they jump in on other continents, what are US warships doing there, they are not neutral, why are they not neutral the share no borders with anyone in the ME? ISRAEL MADE ENEMIES of the Arab people all around them. The global South hates the ruthless Israelis and western allies, how could they not hate Israelis and the USA and NATO allies?
You have a double standard if you ignore almost a century of outrageous war crimes committed on the Palestinian people. Israeli snipers killing Palestinian children babies and toddlers included. If my son would do that to one child I would not want to see him ever again.
Wow you have like ZERO understanding of the Middle East region!
Your knowledge is limited to “Feel Good Propaganda”. You only know what you are told to believe, government people never tell lies, so they tell you.
Another words… Brainwashed…!
BS YOU seem to be the clueless one!
You have no understanding the geopolitics of the region, but decided to stand with “queers for Palestine “ Because it looks cool!
Without realizing that gays and even Muslims have more rights in Israel than they would in any other Muslim country of the world!
Judea was occupied by Roman and up to last century Ottoman empires.
The Israelis were occupied! The Israelis fled their homeland.
Go fuck your self with your far left Brainwashing that tells you Hamas is humane terror group. Go fuck yourself!
And to further you education, there was no Muslim Palestine….EVER!
The Roman’s used Syria-Palaestina to erase the Jewishness of the land.
And to add a bit of irony the philistines we’re not indigenous to the area but invaders of the land (Goliath was the philistine David killed).
Even under the Ottoman empire the term Palestine was not officially used!
Jews predate Muslims in the area by about 2600 years although many in the region share the same genetics, to the point the only difference between these people are their religion. Jews being the oldest , then the Christian’s and finally the Muslims.
There are also Yemeni Jews, North African Jews, Persian Jews and many different Arab Jews that inhabited the entire region.
BS YOU seem to be the clueless one!
You have no understanding the geopolitics of the region, but decided to stand with “Qs for Palestine “ Because it looks cool!
Without realizing that gays and even Muslims have more rights in Israel than they would in any other Muslim country of the world!
Judea was occupied by Roman and up to last century Ottoman empires.
The Israelis were occupied! The Israelis fled their homeland.
Go fuck your self with your far left Brainwashing that tells you Hamas is humane terror group. GFY
And to further you education, there was no Muslim Palestine….EVER!
The Roman’s used Syria-Palaestina to erase the Jewishness of the land.
And to add a bit of irony the philistines we’re not indigenous to the area but invaders of the land (Goliath was the philistine David killed).
Even under the Ottoman empire the term Palestine was not officially used!
Jews predate Muslims in the area by about 2600 years although many in the region share the same genetics, to the point the only difference between these people are their religion. Jews being the oldest , then the Christian’s and finally the Muslims.
There are also Yemeni Jews, North African Jews, Persian Jews and many different Arab Jews that inhabited the entire region.
"You have a double standard if you ignore almost a century of outrageous war crimes committed on the Palestinian" That is two way street. Palestinians have also committed "outrageous war crimes" on Israel.
BTW, Just because a toddler was hit by a bullet in a combat zone, does not mean he was a target. Just recently in Ohio there was a shoot out between Police and a suspect, a 4 year old was hit by a bullet and killed. Does that mean the Police or suspect targeted the child? Of course not.
The "two way street" is heavily one side when it comes to war crimes. And your analogy is fucking ridiculous. Especially when the doctors treating those children tell a different story.
He is the Trump of antiwar.com…!
Could you please back up your assertions!! If you can’t, you only confirm that you know you repeat lies. Trump can be excused, he is a compulsive liar, he can’t be helped, what is your excuse?
The Houthis have moral principles besides a realistic political understanding of their own needs and what is best for their region, their homeland.
Even shorter: The Houthis are humans.
There is a difference between the Banu Houth people and the Houthi movement.
The people are part of the original tribes of the region while the movement is a Shia terror network with Allies like Iran, North Korea, Russia Hezbollah and Hamas.
The warships are in the area because of the attacks by the group.
As most Terror groups (like Hamas) they have taken power in the region and the population is at their mercy.
FYI, the IDF ARE GOVERNMENT SPONSORED TERRORISTS, Hamas/Hezbollah are civilian resistance fighters, fighting an army of IDF and US/NATO terrorists. Gaza and the WB are Palestinian territory but illegally occupied by government paid Israeli IDF terrorists who are killing a nation including more than 60% women and children, their snipers kill babies and toddlers included. It is called GENOCIDE what the Israelis are doing, funded by American tax payers.
I think you should post a Spanish version of your post…!
Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish, I wish I could.
It was a metaphor…!
BS! Hamas are subhuman terrorists and you are just as disposable as those filth!
Go IDF!! I hope they take out every fucking Hamas member out!!
Btw fuckwit, Gaza has not been occupied by Israel for 20 years!
Fuck hamas and those who support them!
"Fuck hamas and those who support them!"
Even Bibi?
“Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas…” Netanyahu said in an address to the Israeli Knesset. “This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank… It’s impossible to reach an agreement with them … Everyone knows this, but we control the height of the flames.”
"Btw fuckwit, Gaza has not been occupied by Israel for 20 years!"
Don't know where I got this, but it's apprropriate and accurate.
There is also the popular trope that Israel benevolently ended its occupation of Gaza in 2005 only to come under repeated attack by Hamas. But while Israel withdrew military forces and settlers from Gaza, it has remained an Occupying Power by virtue of its continued control of the strip. Nothing and nobody go into or out of Gaza without Israel’s permission. Gaza remains, as it was described in 2004 by Head of Israel’s National Security Council Giora Eiland, “a huge concentration camp.”
Another bit of ass-kissing for Bibi.
Amazing how the further in time we get from 9/11, how increasingly meaningless the word "terrorist" becomes. Now it seems to mean "defiant state-actors", and "organizations manufacturing and exporting drugs in high demand by civilian populations".
Actually terrorizing civilians by mass-murder, or from high orbit ("…the only way to be sure…") is now "defending onesself".
… And Houthis threaten to attack the US ships passing through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait…!
“The criminal US regime, a partner in Israeli terrorism, has no right to label others as terrorists…”
This. It's really this simple – and obvious – to anyone who hasn't got their head up their ass.
“The FTO designation makes it a crime under US law to provide “material support or resources” to the Houthis“
Checks in the mail!