On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order officially designating Ansar Allah, widely known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The order highlighted the Houthis’ ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which provides arms and training to terrorist groups around the world. It also pointed to the Houthis’ repeated targeting of U.S. Navy ships since 2023, posing a significant danger to American service members.
Trump’s order condemned the Houthis’ violent campaign in Yemen and the broader region. It cited their forcible takeover of Yemeni cities from the internationally recognized government between 2014 and 2015, as well as a series of deadly strikes on civilian infrastructure, including airports in Saudi Arabia and attacks in the United Arab Emirates.
The document also noted their ongoing aggression toward Israel, with over 300 projectiles fired since October 2023, and their history of more than 100 assaults on commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb strait. These maritime attacks have not only resulted in civilian casualties but also disrupted global trade and contributed to inflationary pressures worldwide.
The order emphasized that the Houthis’ actions jeopardize the safety of U.S. civilians and military personnel in the Middle East, threaten the security of key American allies, and undermine the stability of global maritime trade. Trump had previously designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in early 2021 during his first term. However, this decision was later reversed by the Biden administration, with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concerns that the designation could hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen.
Since October 2023, the Houthis have intensified their attacks in the region, launching drones toward Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea under the banner of support for Gaza. In response to these escalating threats, the United States has formed a coalition of over 20 nations aimed at safeguarding commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea and countering Houthi aggression.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.
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