The United States has imposed sanctions on a Houthi network accused of procuring weapons and goods from Russia amid an ongoing military campaign against the Iranian-backed group’s strongholds in Yemen.
Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The sanctions may have little immediate impact but are another sign of the U.S. seeking to come down heavily on the Houthis while sending a warning to Iran and also to Moscow.
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea threaten to disrupt global trade. Since 2023, the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, have launched hundreds of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
What To Know
The U.S. Treasury Department said it had sanctioned a network of Houthi operatives for purchasing “tens of millions of dollars” in weapons, sensitive materials, and stolen Ukrainian grain from Russia, meant for delivery to Houthi-controlled Yemen, its website stated.
Moscow’s growing ties with the Houthis, strengthened by its alliance with Iran, reflect its efforts to counter U.S. influence since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although past Houthi misfires also targeted Russian vessels.
Key figures in the network identified by the United States include Sa’id al-Jamal, a senior Houthi financier linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, and two Afghan businessmen in Russia who facilitated arms shipments and the transport of stolen grain from Crimea aboard a Russian-flagged ship.
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group’s terrorist war machine. Today’s action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis’ ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was quoted as saying.
The new sanctions on Houthi operatives align with President Donald Trump’s military actions against the group, including air strikes aimed at disrupting their operations in the region and restoring navigation safety.
Since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have been attacking commercial shipping and Western military vessels operating in the Red, Mediterranean Seas and Arabian Seas. The organization has vowed to continue and expand attacks unless Israel fully withdraws from Gaza.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Treasury Department: “The Houthis have deployed missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and naval mines to attack commercial shipping interests in the Red Sea, threatening global freedom of navigation and the integrity of international commerce. These indiscriminate attacks on civilian economic infrastructure, enabled and incentivized by the support of the Iranian regime, have resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and resulted in millions of dollars in damage to commercial shipping.”
Houthi forces statement: “The Armed Forces’ operations against the Israeli enemy, by preventing its navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas and targeting its military and vital facilities, aim to halt the genocide against the oppressed Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which continues in full view of Arabs, Muslims, and the entire world. These operations will not stop until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted.”
What Happens Next
The conflict between the U.S. and the Houthis has the potential to escalate while a much bigger war could result from the current standoff between the United States and Iran over the Iranian nuclear program.