The United States has imposed sanctions on seven senior members of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement, the Treasury Department announced on Wednesday.
According to the statement, quoted by Reuters, these individuals were involved in smuggling military-grade equipment and weapons into Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen and negotiating arms deals with Russia.
In addition, the Treasury sanctioned Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan Al-Jabri and his company, Al-Jabri General Trading and Investment Co, accusing them of recruiting Yemeni fighters for Russia’s war in Ukraine and raising funds to bolster Houthi military operations.
"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," said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, as quoted by Reuters.
The sanctions come a day after the State Department announced it had officially implemented the designation of the Houthi movement as a "foreign terrorist organization" (FTO), following President Donald Trump's executive order on the issue, which was signed in January.
In his first term, Trump designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization days before he left office in 2021.
However, then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reversed the decision days later, shortly after the Biden administration took office, saying the move was driven by concerns that the designation could imperil the ability to deliver crucial assistance to the people of Yemen.
The Houthi rebels have upped their attacks in the region since October of 2023, having launched drones and missiles towards Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region in support for Gazans.
In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
The coalition has repeatedly targeted Houthi facilities and weapons systems in Yemen, but the Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes and have vowed to continue their attacks.