American Senators Call for Re-designation of Houthis as a Terrorist Group

A group of U.S. senators on Wednesday urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to re-designate the Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis, as a foreign terrorist organization. In a letter signed by fifteen senators, it stated, "The Houthis are a clear threat to U.S. allies and partners and to regional stability in the Middle East." They also noted that the Houthis have participated in multiple missile and drone attacks against Israel, which have been supported by the Islamic Republic and the Revolutionary Guards. The letter also mentioned that the Revolutionary Guards are a terrorist organization and the operational arm of the Islamic Republic in the region, responsible for supporting and advising its proxy network, equipping the Houthis with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and other advanced weapons. Republican Senator James Lankford also shared an image of the letter and its signatories along with a message on the platform X, stating, "The Islamic Republic is one of the largest supporters of terrorism and supports the Houthis who butcher innocent Israelis. Biden must designate these groups as terrorist organizations." The Houthis are a Shia militia that has controlled Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, since 2014. This group is supported by the Islamic Republic and has engaged in multiple conflicts with the Yemeni government and its allies, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In 2015, former President Donald Trump designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization. However, President Joe Biden removed the group from this list in February 2021. Hassan Hashemian: The Houthis' missile attacks on Israel are a "joke" and propaganda of the Islamic Republic. The Ansar Allah group of Yemen claimed: We attacked Israel with a drone on Wednesday; Israel did not confirm. The deployment of "missile boats" by Israel in the Red Sea in response to Houthi attacks. The entry of the Houthis into the conflict between Israel and Hamas has heightened concerns about the expansion of the war in the region. Jordan is worried that the Islamic Republic of Iran will escalate the Gaza war.