US Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Re-designate Houthis as Foreign Terrorist Organization

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Friday, July 19, called on the Biden administration to elevate the designation of the Iran-backed Houthis to the list of 'Foreign Terrorist Organizations' in light of their recent drone attack on Tel Aviv. The 'Foreign Terrorist Organizations' designation is an official classification that makes it easier for the US to target and sanction these groups. Former President Donald Trump added the Houthis to this list, but Joe Biden rescinded that decision upon taking office, arguing that it complicated humanitarian aid to needy Yemenis. However, last winter, following an increase in Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, he agreed to classify them as a 'Special Terrorist Group.' US lawmakers are now expressing concern over the deadly drone attack by the Houthis near the US consulate in Tel Aviv and are calling for serious action against this group and their main supporter, the Islamic Republic. Senator Jackie Rosen stated, 'The Houthis are a savage terrorist organization that must be held accountable. Earlier this year, I urged the Biden administration to officially designate them as a foreign terrorist organization so we can fully suppress their weaponry and funding, and this recent attack makes it clear that we cannot wait any longer.' Senator Dan Sullivan also emphasized that the US should adopt a stronger military stance against the Iranian regime to effectively counter the Houthis, stating, 'At this point, the only deterrent for the Houthis is that the Iranian regime pays the price. We should sink all Iranian spy ships that may have assisted in the attack on Tel Aviv and even destroy the entire naval force of the Islamic Republic if necessary.' The US House of Representatives passed a law earlier this year designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, but the status of this law in the Senate remains unclear. The International Maritime Organization condemned the series of Houthi attacks on international ships during a UN Security Council meeting on January 3, 2023, emphasizing that such actions disrupt trade and are unacceptable under international law. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, also stated last month that over 2,000 ships have had to divert their routes thousands of kilometers to avoid passing through the Red Sea in the past two months. In response to the Houthi drone attack, Israel has called for 'crippling sanctions' against the Islamic Republic. The drone attack targeted a residential building near the US consulate in Tel Aviv, resulting in one death and several injuries. The expansion of Houthi attacks on ships has heightened tensions between the US military and the Houthis in Yemen, who are suspected of attacking another ship in the Gulf of Aden. Reuters reported that satellite images indicate the development of 'two ballistic missile centers' in Iran.