The United States has imposed sanctions against three vessels and their owners accusing them of providing support to Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctions Monday, following the Houthis’ efforts to deploy missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and naval mines to attack commercial shipping interests in the Red Sea – activities that “threaten global freedom of navigation and the integrity of international commerce.”
The US is imposing sanctions on three vessels for allegedly discharging refined petroleum products at Houthi-controlled ports after the expiration of the OFAC general license on April 4.
The officials also said the group profit significantly from the shipment of goods through ports they control, profiting, in particular, from the discharge of refined petroleum products.
The group sells refined petroleum products delivered through these ports at exorbitant prices on Yemen’s black market, OFAC said, which “enables Houthi operatives to purchase military materials, creates an artificial shortage of essential goods for average Yemenis, and fuels rampant corruption among Houthi leaders.”
“Today’s action underscores our commitment to disrupt the Houthis’ efforts to fund their dangerous and destabilizing attacks in the region,” said deputy secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender. “Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to target those who seek to enable the Houthis’ ability to exploit the people of Yemen and continue their campaign of violence.”
The move comes after US President Donald Trump ordered in March a series of airstrikes on the Iran-backed Houthi areas across Yemen, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Houthis cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.
Those strikes have been conducted in an effort to stop attacks on American forces and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
According to Trump, the last American warship to go through the Red Sea, few months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times.
The US President said the attacks have also cost the US and world economy “BILLIONS” of dollars.
He said US personnel were carrying out aerial attacks on Houthi bases, leaders and missile defenses “to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom.”
According to the White House report, Houthis have attacked U.S. warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023.
Before their attacks, 25,000 merchant ships passed through the Red Sea annually. The current number has dropped to around 10,000 ships annually.
Houthi attacks caused approximately 75% of U.S.- and UK-affiliated vessels to reroute around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea. The attacks also caused approximately 60% of EU-affiliated vessels to reroute around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea, the report said.
Furthermore, higher shipping rates caused by Houthi attacks probably increased global consumer goods inflation between 0.6% and 0.7% in 2024.
