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US designates Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist organization

According to the decree, the actions of the Houthis threaten the security of American citizens in the Middle East, as well as the security of the US closest regional partners and the stability of global maritime trade

WASHINGTON, March 4. /TASS/. The US designated Yemen’s Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

"Today, the State Department is fulfilling one of President Trump’s first promises upon taking office, and I’m pleased to announce the Department’s designation of Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization," the statement said.

Donald Trump on January 22 signed an executive order starting the process of designating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. According to the decree, the actions of the Houthis threaten the security of American citizens in the Middle East, as well as the security of the US closest regional partners and the stability of global maritime trade.

Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis, also known as the Ansar Allah group, said they would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships affiliated with that country from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave ended. Houthi drones and missiles have attacked dozens of civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023.

In response to these attacks, the US and UK announced preparations for Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Afterward, the UK and US started carrying out regular strikes on Houthi military sites in various Yemeni provinces.

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