U.S. to Place Houthis Back on Terror List as Strikes Continue: Reports
The Biden administration is poised to redesignate the Houthi rebel militia as a foreign terrorist organization as tensions continue to escalate off the coast of Yemen and the threat of a full-scale war breaking out in the Middle East grows, according to multiple reports.
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed the expected move first to the Associated Press on Tuesday, with CNN and The Wall Street Journal following closely behind. The reports were published hours after the Iran-backed group attacked another merchant vessel traversing the Red Sea, which reported that it had been struck but remained seaworthy, according to U.S. Central Command. No injuries were reported.
The strike appeared to be a signal by the Houthis that a series of military actions the U.S. had carried out earlier in the day would not be a deterrent. Characterized by Central Command as preemptive strikes, the attacks hit four ballistic missiles that posed an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and commercial vessels in the area. All four missiles were destroyed around 4:15 a.m. local time, the command said.