US and UK Impose Sanctions on Houthi Leaders for Attacks on Merchant Vessels

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on four senior members of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, for their involvement in attacks on merchant vessels and civilian crews. The sanctions aim to prevent further disruption of international supply chains and global security. The individuals sanctioned have supported attacks that threaten international trade routes.

The latest sanctions follow previous sanctions imposed by OFAC on the Iran-linked financial network that helps finance Houthi attacks. The Houthi forces have already been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US State Department. The four individuals sanctioned have been involved in a series of attacks on merchant vessels since October, including the hijacking of the merchant vessel Galaxy Guide in November.

Houthi attacks have caused more than 14 shipping companies to suspend operations in the Red Sea and the Iran-backed group has carried out nearly three dozen attacks on commercial vessels using a variety of weapons. The sanctions block all property and interests of the designated persons within the United States or under the control of U.S. persons, and non-U.S. financial institutions and other entities that engage in certain transactions with the sanctioned individuals may also be subject to sanctions or enforcement actions.

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