The Saudis correctly had tried to arrange a ceasefire in March followed by the easing of restrictions to air and sea areas of access to Houthi-held areas to help end the conflict.
Houthi leaders dismissed the announcement of the sanctions, as well as the designation by the U.S. State Department, of al-Madani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). They threatened further attacks on “aggressor countries.”
Mohamad Ali al-Houthi one of the leaders of the Houthi rebels scoffed at the U.S. sanctions against Houthi leaders. (Reuters)
“Sanctions do not scare the mujahideen” holy fighters, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the group’s supreme revolutionary committee, said on Twitter. “If they continue the blockade and aggression, then perhaps there will be strikes on unexpected sites in some aggressor countries.”
The Houthis continue to wage large-scale attacks on civilian population centers and commercial shipping with Iranian assistance and culpability.
Secretary Blinken’s comments turned to Tehran and its role in worsening the conflict. “Iran’s involvement in Yemen fans the flames of the conflict, threatening greater escalation, miscalculation, and regional instability. Ansarallah (Houthi rebels) uses Iranian weapons, intelligence, training, and support to conduct attacks threatening civilian targets and infrastructure in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.”
UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said to the UN Security Council that due to the Houthi offensive in Marib, over 25,000 people have already been displaced and that at least 385,000 more are in danger of also becoming displaced if the fighting continues.
He added that “famine is still stalking the country, with five million people just a step away from starving.” Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases are still surging, “pushing the health care system to collapse.” Famine, disease, and other miseries are the result of the war and that is why “it is so important to stop the fighting,” Lowcock said.
Thus far, the Biden administration’s attempts at stopping the violence by cutting off all offensive U.S. aid to the Saudi-led coalition and revoking the terrorist designation of the Houthis have not only failed but have worsened the violence.
File this under, the more things change…
Washington’s Latest About Face: Houthi Leaders in Yemen Sanctioned
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Washington’s Latest About Face: Houthi Leaders in Yemen Sanctioned
Steve Balestrieri
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In trying to both appear forceful and not anger Iran, Washington sanctions two high-level Houthis as terrorists although it had previously removed the group’s terrorist designation.
