US announces sanctions on senior Houthi figures

Shafaq News/ The US State Department announced,
on Wednesday, the imposition of sanctions on eight senior members of Yemen’s
Houthi movement (Ansar Allah).
A State Department statement said the targeted
officials were involved in weapons shipments to Houthi-controlled territories
in Yemen and the negotiation of arms deals. Additionally, the US blacklisted a
Houthi-linked operative and his company, stating that they were responsible for
recruiting Yemeni civilians to participate in the conflict in Ukraine,
generating financial support for Houthi military activities.
The statement emphasized that Washington would
continue using available measures to counter Houthi military operations and
cooperate with the internationally recognized Yemeni government in efforts to
limit the group’s military capabilities. It further noted that the Houthis have
acquired weapons and military components from Russia, China, and Iran, which
the US asserts pose a security risk to Red Sea maritime routes.
The move follows the U.S. designation of the
Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on Tuesday under former
President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Omani
Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi on Monday to address Houthi activities in the
Red Sea and nearby waters.
Sanctioned Houthi Leaders
According to the Treasury Department, among the
sanctioned individuals is Mohammed Abdul Salam, the group’s spokesperson and
financial strategist, who the US says played a key role in securing weapons and
funding from Russia. His associate, Isaac Abdul Malik Abdullah Al-Marwani,
allegedly took part in Houthi delegations to Moscow to expand diplomatic ties.
Mehdi Al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthi Supreme
Political Council, is said to have worked on strengthening relations with
Russia, while senior political leader Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi reportedly engaged
with Russian and Chinese officials on Red Sea shipping routes.
Ali Mohammed Mohsen Saleh Al-Hadi, head of the
Houthi-controlled Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sanaa, allegedly used
business entities to acquire military equipment.
Abdul Malik Abdullah Mohammed Al-Ajri is
reported to have joined political and military delegations to Moscow and
Beijing, lobbying for Houthi-aligned financial institutions facing international
restrictions. Meanwhile, Khalid Hussein Saleh Jaber is accused of handling
financial transactions and arms negotiations with Russian officials,
coordinating with Houthi finance chief Saeed Al-Jamal.
Abdul Wali Abdo Hassan Al-Jabri, was identified
as a Houthi military commander who, according to US authorities, used his
company, Al-Jabri General Trading and Investment, to recruit Yemeni civilians
into Russian military units in Ukraine in exchange for financial compensation.