The United States has recognized the Yemeni Houthi movement as a terrorist organization.

Government The United States has included the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement (Houthis) in the list of foreign terrorist organizations, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The corresponding statement was published on March 4 on site The U.S. Department of State.

"Today, the State Department is fulfilling one of the first promises of the President [of the United States Donald] Trump after he took office. I am pleased to announce that the department has included Ansar Allah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, in the list of foreign terrorist organizations," the statement said.

Trump's corresponding decree notes that the Houthis' actions threaten the security of American citizens in the Middle East, the security of the United States' closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade. In addition, since 2023, the Houthis have carried out hundreds of attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as well as on American military personnel, the document says.

"Listing terrorists plays a crucial role in our fight against terrorism and is an effective way to curb support for terrorist activities," Rubio said.

Earlier, on January 23, the president USA Donald Trump initiated the process of re-recognizing Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization. The White House statement clarified that back in 2021, President Trump declared the Iran-backed Houthis a foreign terrorist organization. However, within a month of taking office, the administration of former US President Joe Biden lifted these sanctions.

The Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from November 2023 in protest against the actions of Israel in the Gaza Strip. On the night of January 12, 2024, in response to their actions href="https://iz.ru/1633174/2024-01-12/ssha-i-britaniia-nachali-voennuiu-operatciiu-v-jemene-protiv-khusitov"> The United States and Britain launched an attack on Houthi targets in Yemen. The White House said that the strikes on the movement-controlled areas of the country were defensive in nature. It was also claimed at the time that the strikes were carried out to protect international vessels.