Sanctioning Houthi Leaders for Weapons Procurement and Destabilizing Violence

The United States is today sanctioning seven senior members of Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, for their role in smuggling weapons to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and negotiating weapons procurement deals. The United States is also designating a Houthi operative and his company that recruited Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine, generating revenue to support Houthi militant operations. This action follows the State Department’s announcement yesterday of the designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

We will use all available tools to counter Houthi violence and work with the internationally recognized government of Yemen to eliminate Houthi capabilities.

The U.S. government is committed to holding the Houthis accountable for acquiring weapons and weapons components from suppliers in Russia, China, and Iran to threaten Red Sea security.

Today’s action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, and builds on previous actions targeting Houthi weapons procurement operatives and suppliers.