The Biden administration is expected to soon announce plans to redesignate Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as specially designated global terrorists, according to two people familiar with the White House decision and a U.S. official.
The move comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The group says it has attacked the ships in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
The three people familiar with the decision were not authorized to comment and requested anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of the expected formal announcement.
This has been going on for a long time. They have never shied away from attacking their neighbors.
If we don’t begin to wrap our heads around the way that Iran arms and funds terrorist proxy groups as a matter of Foreign Relations policy, then we never have a hope of understanding the path toward peace in the Middle East.
They’ve been at open war with the Saudis since, what? The 90s? Yemen is the Afghanistan of the Gulf. Endlessly having their governments toppled, fleeing into the mountains, waging war to drive the invaders out, setting up new governments, and having them toppled again.