US sanctions individuals, entities involved in weapons procurement for Houthis

The US announced new sanctions Monday directed against individuals and entities involved with a weapons procurement network for Iran-backed Houthis.

"Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating two individuals and five entities that have facilitated weapons procurement for Houthis" the Treasury Department said in a statement.

OFAC also designated one individual and one company, as well as identifying one vessel, that have facilitated the shipment of commodities, “the sale of which provides an important funding stream to the Houthis that aids in their weapons procurement.”

Stressing that the action targets key actors who have enabled the Houthis to generate revenue and acquire a range of materials to manufacture advanced weaponry, it said that since November 2023, the Houthis have deployed a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ballistic missiles and cruise missiles to attack merchant vessels and their crews in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

"The Houthis continued, indiscriminate and reckless attacks against unarmed commercial vessels are made possible by their access to key components necessary for the production of their missiles and UAVs," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson was quoted as saying in the statement.

“The United States remains resolved to use the full range of our tools to halt the flow of military-grade materials and funds from commodities sales that enable these destabilizing terrorist activities," Nelson added.