In a bipartisan effort, Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, calling for the re-designation of Yemen’s Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
This designation, which was initially revoked in 2021, would impose significant consequences on the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, and would aim to curb their escalating attacks across the Middle East.
“Since the misguided revocation of the Houthis’ FTO designation in 2021, the Houthis, backed by the Iranian regime, have only escalated their efforts to destabilize the Middle East,” the senators wrote.
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They cited Houthi attacks involving drones and missiles targeting Israel, which have resulted in civilian casualties, attacks on U.S. forces, disruptions of international shipping, and interference with humanitarian aid in Yemen.
Reinstating the FTO designation would enable stronger legal and financial repercussions for those aiding the Houthis, the senators argued.
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The re-designation would expose entities providing material support to criminal prosecution, restrict Houthi members from entering the U.S., and allow U.S. victims of Houthi attacks to pursue legal action. Additionally, it would allow the U.S. to target Houthi funding, weapons procurement, and manufacturing capabilities through economic measures.
“We urge you to immediately restore the designation of the Houthis as an FTO,” the senators wrote, emphasizing that this action would better equip the U.S. to disrupt the Houthis’ operational networks and hold them accountable for terrorism against the U.S., Israel, and other allies.
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