On Tuesday, the United States Department of State re-designated the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Trump Administration is acting to degrade Houthi capabilities after over a year of the group’s terrorism in the Red Sea targeting commercial and military vessels and ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israel. The State Department also cited previous Houthi attacks on “civilian infrastructure” in the UAE and Saudia Arabia in the designation.
Following the return of the Houthis to the FTO list, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned “seven senior members,” designating them as specially designated global terrorists (SDGTs), and one company “for their role in smuggling weapons to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and negotiating weapons procurement deals.” The US also condemned Russia, China, and Iran for providing weapons and weapons components to the terrorist group.
The Houthis’ newly minted specially designated global terrorists are:
Mohammad Abdulsalam, also known as Abu Yasser, is the Houthis’ spokesperson, chief negotiator, an oil tycoon, and the chairman of the Al Masirah Network, a Houthi-affiliated TV channel. Abdulsalam “has played a key role in managing the Houthis’ internal and external financing network” and “facilitated the Houthis’ efforts to secure weapons and other support from Russia,” according to the US Treasury Department. He has also coordinated with Iran, a collaboration that included a visit with Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei. Abdulsalam is based in Oman.
Mahdi al Mashat is chairman of the Supreme Political Council (SPC), the Houthi-controlled governing body in north Yemen. Mashat has coordinated with foreign governments, especially Russia, to advance Houthi goals. His social media is often used for official political statements on behalf of the terrorist group.
Mohamed Ali al Houthi has held important positions in the Houthis’ political apparatuses. He is currently a member of the SPC and chaired the SPC’s predecessor group. Treasury states Houthi has been instrumental in the group’s cooperation with Russian and Chinese officials, including ensuring the Houthis did not attack these countries’ vessels in the Red Sea.
Abdulmalil Alagri is a prominent Houthi operative who the US Treasury notes has participated in delegations to Moscow to meet with both Russian and Chinese leaders. His X account states he is a member of the Houthis’ “national negotiating delegation.”
Ali Muhammad Muhsin Salih al Hadi runs the Houthi-controlled Sanaa Chamber of Commerce. According to Treasury, he is central to the group’s weapons-procurement activities as a financier, exploiting his position to fund and hide weapons purchases. Hadi visited Russia to procure weapons and investments from which the Houthis could profit.
Eshaq Abdulmalek Abdullah al Marwani is a senior Houthi member and aide to Mohammad Abdulsalam. He has participated in Houthi missions to Russia “and has coordinated with other high-ranking Houthi operatives to advance Houthi interests internationally,” Treasury stated.
Khaled Hussein Saleh Gaber is a Houthi member involved in illegal financial activities with previously sanctioned Houthi operatives. He has also participated in delegations to Russia and “coordinates illicit procurement and finance activities” with the network of “Houthi financial official Said Al-Jamal,” according to Treasury.
Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan al Jabri is a Houthi military leader who Treasury states used his company, Al Jabri General Trading and Investment Co, also designated by the US, for “a lucrative human smuggling operation, recruiting Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine, often under false and misleading pretenses.” The Houthis reportedly sent hundreds of Yemenis to fight for Russia, for which the group expected to receive weapons in exchange.
