Daijiworld Media Network – Yemen

Yemen, Jan 23: United States president Donald Trump has initiated a process to redesignate Yemen’s Houthi rebel group, also known as Ansar Allah, as a “foreign terrorist organisation” (FTO), the White House announced.

In an executive order signed on Wednesday, Trump directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit a report within 30 days, following consultations with the director of national intelligence and the treasury secretary. Rubio will then have 15 days to take action regarding the designation.

This move follows a call from Rubio, during his tenure as senator, to relist the group. Trump previously designated the Houthis as an FTO and a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT) entity at the end of his first term. However, the designations were reversed by former President Joe Biden’s administration shortly after taking office, citing Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

In January last year, the Biden administration reinstated the narrower SDGT designation after repeated Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The White House has criticized Biden’s policies, claiming they enabled the Houthis to escalate attacks on US Navy ships, commercial vessels, and infrastructure in allied nations.

“President Trump’s policy will work with regional partners to dismantle the Houthis’ operations, cut their resources, and protect US personnel, allies, and maritime interests in the Red Sea,” the White House stated.

Trump’s order also directs USAID to sever ties with entities linked to the Houthis, including those that facilitate payments or overlook the group’s alleged terrorism and abuses.

This decision comes shortly after the Houthis announced the release of the 25-member crew of the Galaxy leader cargo ship, which they had seized at the onset of Israel’s conflict with Gaza. The release was framed as a goodwill gesture to support the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.