More Houthi Sanctions

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on seven senior members of Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, for their roles in smuggling military-grade weapons into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and negotiating arms procurement deals with Russia.

Additionally, OFAC has designated a Houthi-affiliated operative and his company for recruiting Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine, generating revenue to support Houthi militant operations.

“By seeking weapons from a growing array of international suppliers, Houthi leaders have shown their intent to continue their reckless and destabilizing actions in the Red Sea region,” said 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.”

The sanctions, issued under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, follow previous U.S. actions against Houthi weapons procurement networks in 2024. The U.S. Department of State has also re-designated Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act, reinforcing its classification as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.

Key Sanctioned Figures

Among the designated individuals is Mohammad Abdulsalam, the Houthis’ spokesman based in Oman, who has played a key role in securing financial and military support for the group, including direct engagements with Russian officials. Eshaq Abdulmalek Abdullah Almarwani, a senior aide to Abdulsalam, has participated in high-level discussions in Moscow to strengthen Houthi ties with Russia.

Also sanctioned is Mahdi Mohammed Hussein Al-Mashat, Chairman of the Houthi-aligned Supreme Political Council, who has worked to expand cooperation between the Houthis and Russia, including direct communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi, a senior Houthi leader, has coordinated with Russia and China to ensure the safe passage of their vessels through the Red Sea while negotiating military aid.

Ali Muhammad Muhsin Salih Al-Hadi, the head of the Houthi-controlled Sanaa Chamber of Commerce, has been designated for financing arms purchases using shell companies. Abdulmalek Abdullah Mohammed E Alagri and Khaled Hussein Saleh Gaber have also been sanctioned for their involvement in illicit financial activities supporting Houthi weapons procurement.

Recruitment of Fighters for Russia

In addition to weapons procurement, Houthi leaders have exploited vulnerable Yemeni populations to finance their operations. Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan Al-Jabri, a Houthi militant leader, has been sanctioned for running a human smuggling network through his company, Al-Jabri General Trading and Investment Co, which recruited Yemeni civilians to fight for Russian military units in Ukraine under false pretenses.

U.S. Commitment to Counter Houthi Threats

The U.S. government has reiterated its commitment to countering Houthi aggression and disrupting their financial networks. These latest sanctions seek to curb the group’s ability to acquire weapons, fund militant operations, and destabilize the Red Sea region.

This action follows the U.S. Department of State’s re-designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization,