


The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, its latest action targeting the Iran-backed terror group that fires missiles at Israel.
In a statement, the US Treasury Department said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers benefiting the Houthis, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
“The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.
“These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes,” he said.
The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre.
They regularly fire drones and missiles at Israel, most of which are shot down or have fallen short, including multiple volleys on Tuesday.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said Israeli Air Force drones struck Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Hodeida port in response to the Iran-backed group’s continued attacks on Israel.
The IDF said in a statement that the airstrikes destroyed “military infrastructure of the Houthi terror regime” at the western Yemen port, after attempts were made by the Houthis to repair areas previously targeted by Israel in response to missile and drone attacks.
The United States engaged in its own bombing campaign against the Houthis earlier this year. It reached a ceasefire with the group in May following reported frustration over the campaign’s ineffectiveness. Since then, the Houthis have continued attacking Israel.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has repeatedly slapped sanctions on the Houthis over the past year.