- OFAC Exposes Houthi Dealings with Russia and China to Shield Their Ships.
- New U.S. Sanctions Uncover Houthi Safe Passage Deals with Russia, China.
- Houthis Guaranteed Protection for Russian and Chinese Vessels Amid Red Sea Attacks.
New American sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury have revealed Houthi leadership coordination with Russian and Chinese officials to shield their ships from Red Sea maritime attacks. Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi, a prominent member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, guaranteed Russian vessels safe passage while continuing to conduct drone and missile attacks on other commercial ships in the area, Treasury reports indicate. Al-Houthi has also been in talks with Russian authorities regarding possible military assistance, reports gCaptain.
Houthi Leaders Ensured Safe Passage for Russian and Chinese Vessels
“Amid the Houthis’ ongoing maritime attack campaign, Mohamed Ali has communicated with officials from Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to ensure that Houthi militants do not strike Russian or PRC vessels transiting the Red Sea,” OFAC stated.
“Speaking on behalf of the Houthis, Mohamed Ali has outlined the Houthis’ commitment to guarantee safe passage for Russian vessels.”
Since November 2023, Iranian-backed Houthis have attacked over 100 commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming to target vessels linked to Israel and its allies in response to the Israel-Hamas war. These attacks have led major shipping companies to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing costs and disrupting global trade. Although attacks have paused due to a ceasefire, most shipping services continue avoiding the Red Sea.
Verified Deals with China and Russia
OFAC’s revelations confirm previous reports that the Houthis entered into deals with China and Russia to enable their vessels to sail through the area unharmed. However, these guarantees have not fully deterred attacks on ships belonging to either nation—or at least those transporting their products.
New Sanctions Target Houthi Leadership
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on Wednesday against seven senior Houthi figures involved in weapons procurement and maritime attacks. “Houthi leaders have shown their intent to continue their reckless and destabilizing actions in the Red Sea region,” stated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“The United States will use all available tools to disrupt the Houthis’ terrorist activities and degrade their ability to threaten U.S. personnel, our regional partners, and global maritime trade.”
Houthi-Russia Diplomacy and Cooperative Missions
The sanctions are highlighting increasing cooperation between Russia and the Houthis, with various diplomatic visits to Moscow. The Houthis’ Oman-based spokesman Mohammad Abdulsalam has been central to getting weapons from Russia, having coordinated meetings with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Human Trafficking Operation Connected to Russia-Ukraine Conflict
One of the most troubling findings in the Treasury report is a human trafficking scheme operated by Houthi-affiliated persons. The operation, directed through Al-Jabri General Trading and Investment Co, enrolled Yemeni civilians under false terms to combat Russia in Ukraine. The scheme has brought further funding to Houthi militant operations.
U.S. Re-Designates Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
The new sanctions come after several OFAC actions in 2024 against Houthi arms networks. The U.S. Department of State also issued a re-designation of Ansarallah (the Houthis’ official name) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The Houthis were earlier delisted from the FTO list in February 2021 by the Biden administration because of humanitarian reasons in Yemen. However, in early 2024, they were re-designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) because of increasing maritime attacks.
Implications of the New Sanctions
With these sanctions, the entire U.S.-based assets of listed Houthi leaders are frozen, and U.S. individuals are prohibited from making transactions with them. Foreign financial institutions that deal with the sanctioned persons also risk secondary sanctions.
OFAC’s acknowledgement of selective targeting by nationality of vessels is an important turn in the Red Sea crisis further reinforcing the Houthis’ deepening alliance with Russia and China.
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Source: gCaptain
