US Imposes Sanctions on Houthi Financial Network

The United States announced new anti-terrorism sanctions on Thursday targeting individuals and entities linked to the financial network of the Houthi group, "Ansar Allah," in Yemen.

These measures aim to curb the group's activities by targeting those facilitating illegal shipments and money laundering operations.

The US Treasury Department stated that the sanctions encompass around 12 individuals and ships, including Mohammad Raslan bin Ahmad, a Malaysian-Singaporean resident in Indonesia, and Zhuang Liang, a Chinese national residing in China.

These individuals have been identified as key facilitators of illicit shipments and money laundering for the Houthi financial network.

On June 18, the US administration had already imposed sanctions on a network of individuals and entities that facilitated the purchase of weapons for the Houthis, who have been targeting civilian ships in the Red Sea.

John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesperson, emphasized the US commitment to holding Houthi terrorists accountable for their actions and reducing their capacity to replenish their munitions.

Kirby also criticized the Houthis for justifying their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as a response to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza following the "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" on October 7, 2023. 

He stated that the Houthis' actions were purely terrorism and must be stopped immediately.

Since November 19, the Houthis have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, claiming these vessels are connected to Israel or headed to Israeli ports.

These attacks have disrupted global shipping through the Suez Canal, forcing companies to reroute to longer and more expensive journeys around the southern tip of Africa.

In response, the United States and the United Kingdom have been conducting military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen as part of an ongoing operation by the US military in the Red Sea region.

Washington believes that the Iran-aligned Houthi forces are attempting to destabilize the region and threaten maritime navigation.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most crucial routes for the transportation of oil, liquefied natural gas, and consumer goods. About 40% of global trade passes through this region, with experts estimating that about 30% of the world's container trade transits via the Suez Canal.