The U.S. Sanctions a Network Supported by the Quds Force Involved in Shipping Goods for the Houthis

On Wednesday, the United States sanctioned two companies and two vessels that the U.S. Treasury Department claims are part of a financial facilitation network based in Iran and supported by the Quds Force, which is involved in sending goods to the Houthis. The Treasury Department stated that these sanctions target two vessels and their owners based in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands due to their role in transporting goods on behalf of an individual named Saad al-Jamal. Brian Nelson, the U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, accused the 'Quds Force and the Houthis' of illegally selling goods to finance their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, emphasizing that 'the United States remains determined to hold accountable those who enable these destabilizing activities.' The U.S. State Department also announced on Wednesday that in line with these sanctions, the two vessels will be designated as blocked property due to their involvement in transporting goods on behalf of Saad al-Jamal. According to the U.S. State Department, al-Jamal facilitates the finances of the Houthis, who are supported by the Quds Force and based in Iran. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, stated that the revenue generated from al-Jamal's network enables the Houthis' militant activities, including ongoing attacks on international maritime trade in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. He noted that the consequences of these attacks extend far beyond the region, and the United States will continue to use all available measures to disrupt the financial flows that enable these destabilizing activities. The Houthis in Yemen, backed by the Islamic Republic, have repeatedly attacked international commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea since early October under the pretext of supporting the Palestinians. Many of these attacks have been thwarted by U.S. forces or the coalition, and numerous of their bases within Yemen have been targeted by independent or joint operations of the U.S. military and other U.S. allies. However, Houthi leaders have stated that they will not cease attacks on vessels until the war in Gaza ends. The Biden administration, which had removed the Houthis from the terrorist organizations list shortly after taking office in January 2021, re-designated the group as 'specially designated global terrorists' on February 16, 2023. The British newspaper Telegraph reported on January 10, citing its intelligence sources inside Iran, that the Houthis have been trained at the 'Khamenei Marine Science and Technology University' in Zibakenar, Rasht, and that Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, oversees their activities. The Houthis continue to destabilize international waters; a recent attack by this group damaged a commercial vessel. CENTCOM reported the destruction of four missiles, three drones, and three Houthi UAVs. Accounts of 'Al-Alam' have been blocked on several social media platforms; the state media stated this was due to the publication of a photo of Imad Mughniyeh. An explosion and fire occurred on a vessel in southeastern Aden.