Iran Trump declares Huthi militia a terrorist organization again
US President Donald Trump wants to reclassify the Iran-backed Huthi militia in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization. The Republican justified this with the militia's attacks on US military and merchant ships in the Red Sea, among other things. This emerges from an order issued by the White House. It set in motion the process of reclassifying the militia. The designation as a foreign terrorist organization is accompanied by severe sanctions.
23.01.2025, 01:16
SDA
The government of then US President Joe Biden had already placed the Houthi militia on the list of global terrorists last year. The US government's move followed repeated Houthi attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea. The Houthi began these attacks after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023 - according to the militia in support of Hamas in Gaza.
When classifying terrorists, the USA differentiates between Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). The distinction plays a role in the sanctions associated with the classification. With Trump's order, the militia will soon be back on both terror lists.
Shortly before the end of Trump's term of office in 2021, his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had ordered the Huthi to be classified in both categories. Pompeo's successor, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reversed this shortly afterwards in order to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen. Civil war has been raging in the very impoverished country since 2014.
