Since 2023, the Houthis have fired at US Navy warships dozens of times, putting American men and women in uniform in jeopardy. They are backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which supplies and trains terrorist groups throughout the world. The Houthis have carried out some attacks on civilian infrastructure since taking control of the majority of Yemen’s population, from the legitimate Yemeni government in 2014-2015. These attacks include the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, multiple attacks on Saudi Arabian civilian airports, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023.  

How are Houthis affecting the US?

Since November 2023, the Houthis, who rule the majority of Yemen, have attacked over 100 ships navigating the Red Sea. They claimed that they were demonstrating support for Palestinians in response to Israel’s assault on Hamas in Gaza. They have killed at least four seafarers, taken control of another ship, and sunk two more. Due to ‌disruption caused by the attacks, shipping companies have been forced to switch to more costly and time-consuming routes around southern Africa for almost a year.

A chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait connects the southern Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, which the organization has targeted.

During the Biden administration, the US military conducted sporadic strikes to weaken Houthi military capabilities. The US attempted to thwart Houthi attacks to protect commercial transportation. However, the leadership of the gang was not the goal. To address humanitarian problems inside Yemen, Joe Biden canceled Trump’s terrorist designations at the beginning of his 2021 presidential term. Biden labeled the group a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” organization last year in response to the Red Sea bombings. However, his government refrained from implementing the more severe FTO classification.

Is Trump’s ministry aware of these consequences or not?

According to British charity Oxfam, the action will exacerbate Yemeni civilians’ suffering by interfering with essential fuel, food, and medication shipments. The Trump administration is aware of these consequences but chose to move forward anyway. They will bear responsibility for the hunger and disease that will follow. Trump’s action on Wednesday, 22 Jan 2025, according to David Schenker, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, was clear and proactive. It responded to what he called one of Iran’s most powerful proxy forces in the Middle East. 

According to the Trump administration, the United States will collaborate with regional allies to take away the Houthi’s resources and capabilities. Thereby ending its attacks on US personnel and civilians, US partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea. According to the White House, the designation will also lead to a thorough examination of UN partners, non-governmental organizations, and contractors doing business in Yemen.

Following a multiphase cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis have 

indicated in recent days that they are reducing their strikes in the Red Sea. More than a year after seizing their Bahamas-flagged ship off the coast of Yemen. The group freed the Galaxy Leader commercial ship’s crew earlier on Wednesday. 

Houthi strikes escalate conflict

There have been multiple rounds of US and British airstrikes against Houthi military targets. As well as the deployment of Western warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to protect merchant vessels, they have failed to discourage the Houthis. In response to 400 missiles and drones that the Israeli military claims were launched into the nation from Yemen. Most of which were shot down, Israel has also been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis since July. Due to the Houthis’ SDGT classification, US financial institutions were forced to freeze their cash, and their members were prohibited from entering the country.

This would make it impossible for assistance agencies to work in Houthi-controlled areas, which are home to the majority of Yemen’s population. Trump’s nomination was praised by Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s internationally recognized presidential council, who described it as “a step toward peace and stability in Yemen and the region” and “key to accountability.” In the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the Houthis have attacked dozens of merchant vessels with missiles, drones, and small boats throughout the last 14 months. They have killed four crew members, sunk two ships, and taken control of the Galaxy Leader.