The Iranian backed Houthi rebels have attacked U.S. troops in the Middle East more than 100 times since October 7. Undeterred, the terrorist organization has also attacked commercial shipping and jeopardized global supply chains by forcing major companies like Maersk to avoid the Red Sea and take the long way around.
On Thursday, the State Department issued a a statement about the Biden administration's latest "efforts" to "counter Houthi maritime attacks."
"The United States is today designating one individual and three entities for facilitating Iranian financial assistance to the Houthis that enables attacks on international shipping and other destabilizing activities. Those designated today have facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars to the Houthis at the direction of U.S.-designated Sa’id al-Jamal, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force-backed Houthi financial facilitator based in Iran," the State Department released in a statement.
"The Houthis’ continued attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have disrupted the free flow of commerce through the region and endangered innocent mariners. Since October, the Houthis have launched numerous missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at commercial vessels transiting near Yemen’s coastline, in clear violation of international law," the statement continues. "The United States will continue to combat Iranian illicit financial support to the Houthis. We call on the international community to stand firmly against the destabilizing activities of the Houthis and their Iranian backers."
There are big problems with their response, starting with Biden's revocation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization in 2021.
#BREAKING: @USTreasury has sanctioned financial facilitators from #Iran to the #Houthis. What’s pathetic here is these sanctions are under EO 13224, but Biden revoked the Houthis EO 13224 designation in 2021, and still refuses to reinstate it. https://t.co/4BWooTcm88
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) December 28, 2023
Observe the mental gymnastics here.
— Jonathan Schanzer (@JSchanzer) December 28, 2023
The policy contortionists at State today issued designations on facilitators of Houthi terror.
Yet the Biden administration still refuses to designate the Houthis as a terrorist group.
Don’t try this at home, folks. https://t.co/WVPmScZVhi
This Administration tried to make friends with Iran. They believed there was such a thing as an Iranian moderate. They de-designated the Houthis as terrorists.
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) December 22, 2023
And we're seeing the deadly results. pic.twitter.com/AQ0ur3gh5N