Biden administration redesignates Houthis as a global terrorist group in wake of Red Sea attacks

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration Wednesday relisted Iranian-backed Houthis as a “specially designated global terrorist” group following U.S.-led attacks on the Yemen-based militants who have launched waves of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Since Thursday, the Pentagon, with initial military support from Great Britain, has launched three attacks with missiles and warplanes on sites used by the Houthis to target and launch missiles at commercial and naval ships transiting the Red Sea.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea "fit the textbook definition of terrorism" in a statement announcing the return of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, to the terrorist list.

"They have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of navigation," Sullivan said. "The United States and the international community have been united in our response and in condemning these attacks in the strongest terms."

The Biden administration removed the Houthis from the list foreign terrorist organizations in 2021. The Trump administration had given the Houthi the designation, which applies financial sanctions.

The Houthis say their attacks are in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza. The Biden administration has sought to contain the fighting to Gaza, but has faced a series of skirmishes with Iranian-backed militant groups across the Middle East.

More: US conducts third attack on Houthi missile sites in Yemen

Ahead of the formal designation, President Joe Biden said he considered Houthis to be a terrorist group, telling reporters last Friday, “I think they are” when asked whether he is willing to use that label.

Sullivan called the terrorist designation "an important tool to impede terrorist funding to the Houthis," including further restricting their access to financial markets and holding them accountable for their actions. He said the U.S. will immediately reevaluate the designation if the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea.

The designation will go into effect in 30 days, which Sullivan said will allow the U.S. to ensure "robust humanitarian carve outs are in place" so the actions target the Houthis, not the people of Yemen.

"The people of Yemen should not pay the price for the actions of the Houthis," Sullivan said. "We are sending a clear message: Commercial shipments into Yemeni ports on which the Yemeni people rely for food, medicine and fuel should continue and are not covered by our sanctions."

In removing the Houthis from the terrorist list in 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the intent was to allow humanitarian aid to flow to Yemen, which has been torn by civil war.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted the Biden administration Tuesday for removing the terrorist designation in 2021 after The Associated Press first reported the redesignation was being considered.

“The Houthi rebels are trained and armed by the terrorist wing of Iran’s army," Cotton said in a statement released by his office. "And they chant ‘Death to America’ while attacking American sailors and global trade. Removing them from the list of terror organizations was a deadly mistake and another failed attempt to appease the Ayatollah.

“Joe Biden’s weakness and poor judgement continues to put our security at risk.”

More: Four flashpoints in Israel-Hamas conflict that could spark wider war in Middle East

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said redesignating the Houthis as a global terrorist group "is a step in the right direction, but it comes way too late to have any practical effect."

"It falls short of the foreign terrorist organization designation that the Trump administration put into effect. Further Houthi attacks on commercial shipping or U.S. sailors should be met with a response that makes last week’s strike in Yemen look small in comparison," Wicker said.

The declaration of the Houthis as a terrorist group is not expected to affect military operations against them, Air Force Maj. Gen Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters Wednesday.

Last Thursday, a U.S.-led coalition struck dozens of sites in Yemen. More than 150 bombs and missiles from ships, submarines and warplanes struck anti-ship ballistic missile and radar sites. Two smaller, follow-on attacks targeted similar sites after the Houthis fired missiles and struck commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Two Navy SEALs were lost at sea recently during the interception of a ship carrying Iranian ballistic missile parts to the Houthis.

The Red Sea is one of the world’s busiest routes for commercial traffic, connecting Asia with Europe through the Suez canal. The Pentagon organized a naval coalition to protect those ships, knocking down dozens of missiles and drones before they struck ships.

The U.S.-led attacks deepen U.S. involvement in the Middle East that has been roiled since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people.

More: US strikes Houthi rebels in joint Yemen bombing with UK. How close are we to all-out war?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houthis redesignated as 'global terrorists' by Biden administration