Trump redesignates Houthis “foreign terrorist organization"
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Washington: US President Donald Trump redesignated the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen a “foreign terrorist organization", signing an executive order. The White House announced the development on Wednesday, which reinstated the previous Biden-administration-lifted label, Agence France Presse reported.
It was in 2021 that Biden lifted the label after he took the White House from Trump that year. However, he later called Houthis a “specially designated global terrorist” entity, which, however, is a less severe classification. It allowed humanitarian aid to reach the victims of war there.
Biden lifted the “terrorist” label after aid groups raised concerns that they would be forced to pull out of Yemen as they were obliged to rebels, who rule most of the areas in the country, including the capital, Sanaa.
After the inception of the war in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, Houthis started attacking ships in the Red Sea in an apparent bid to extend support to Palestine’s Hamas. Also, Houthis declared US and British interests to be “legitimate targets”. This prompted the US, UK and Israel to launch dozens of airstrikes in Yemen, and the Biden administration named the armed group specially designated global terrorist".
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Houthi released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged vessel seized off the Yemeni Red Sea coast in November 2023, ending more than a year of detention.
The crew, consisting of 25 nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania, was handed over to Oman as part of efforts linked to a recent ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
The vessel, owned by Galaxy Maritime and chartered by Japan’s Nippon Yusen, was captured by Houthi forces shortly after the outbreak of war in Gaza. Its release has been described as a gesture of solidarity with Gaza, aligning with the group’s broader political stance during the conflict.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi recently expressed readiness to act against Israel if the Gaza ceasefire is violated, underscoring the group’s involvement in regional tensions.