New US Sanctions Against Individuals and Entities Linked to Houthis

On Monday, June 18, the US government announced sanctions against several individuals and entities involved in providing military and financial support to Iran-backed Houthi militants. A spokesperson for the US State Department wrote on social media platform X: "The United States will take action against those who provide the materials needed to manufacture weapons for the Houthis to attack US interests and those of its allies." Matthew Miller emphasized that the US is sanctioning nine individuals and entities that facilitated the purchase of weapons for the Houthis. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury also stated that several individuals and entities involved in facilitating arms purchases for the Houthi militants in Yemen have been sanctioned. The Iran-backed Houthis, who control the capital of Yemen and most of the country's populous areas, have been attacking vessels associated with Israel in the Red Sea since last November, claiming to support the Palestinian people against Israeli attacks. Houthi attacks have endangered international shipping in key Red Sea routes, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, forcing shipping companies to alter their routes. The US Treasury Department states that the Houthis are attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden using drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles, killing "innocent civilians and threatening global navigation freedom." The US Deputy Treasury Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence emphasized that "the Houthis' access to essential components needed to produce missiles and drones has facilitated their reckless and indiscriminate attacks on unarmed commercial vessels." Brian Nelson stated that the US is determined to use all available tools to prevent processes that enable such destabilizing activities. Meanwhile, Houthi media reported on Monday that US-led coalition forces conducted at least six airstrikes on Houthi positions at Yemen's international airport in Hodeidah and four strikes on Kamaran Island near the port of Salif along the Red Sea. Reuters notes that this is the first time US-led coalition forces have attacked Kamaran Island. The recent coalition attacks followed Houthi assaults on two cargo ships, the Verbena, flagged by Palau and owned by Ukraine, and the cargo ship Teutore, flagged by Liberia and owned by Greece, last week.