- The State Department has officially labeled Ansarallah (Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) to counter their attacks on global shipping and regional stability.
- Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on Red Sea shipping routes, causing major disruptions, ship sinkings, and fatalities.
- While the designation aims to curb terrorist activities, aid organizations warn it could worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis by restricting access to food, medicine, and fuel.
On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of State officially designated Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This designation aims to curtail support for the group’s terrorist activities and to pressure them to cease their destabilizing actions in Yemen and the surrounding region.
U.S. declares Houthis a terrorist organization
Ansarallah, an Iran-aligned group, has been involved in the Yemeni civil war since 2014, controlling significant portions of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. Their activities have extended beyond Yemen’s borders, notably impacting international maritime trade routes. Since November 2023, the Houthis have conducted over 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea, resulting in the sinking of two vessels and the deaths of at least four seafarers. These actions have disrupted global shipping, forcing companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa, leading to increased costs and delays.
The recent FTO designation reinstates measures that had been previously applied and then removed. In January 2021, during President Donald Trump’s first term, the Houthis were designated as an FTO. However, in February 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration revoked this designation, citing humanitarian concerns. The escalation of Houthi attacks on maritime targets prompted the re-designation in January 2025.
The FTO designation imposes stringent economic penalties on Ansarallah, aiming to isolate the group financially and limit their operational capabilities. It also serves as a signal to international partners about the risks associated with supporting or engaging with the Houthis. Critics, including humanitarian organizations like Oxfam, express concerns that this designation could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen by disrupting the flow of essential goods such as food, medicine, and fuel.
In conjunction with the FTO designation, the U.S. government has announced a $15 million reward for information leading to the disruption of Ansarallah’s financial networks. This initiative underscores the U.S. commitment to countering the group’s influence and operations in the region.
The designation of Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization reflects the U.S. government’s strategy to apply economic and political pressure on the group, aiming to curb their destabilizing activities and promote stability in Yemen and the broader Middle East region.
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Source: Department of State
