The White House announced on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to reinstate the “foreign terrorist organisation” designation for Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
Following Trump’s departure in 2021, then-President Joe Biden reversed the designation that Trump had implemented near the conclusion of his initial term.
Biden’s decision was influenced by humanitarian organisations’ concerns that they would be forced to withdraw from Yemen, as they must interact with the rebels who effectively govern large portions of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
However, after the Gaza Strip conflict began on October 7, 2023, the Huthis initiated attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming these actions were in solidarity with Palestinians.
They subsequently declared US and British interests as “legitimate targets.”
In response, the Biden administration previously classified the Huthis – officially known as Ansar Allah – as a “specially designated global terrorist” group, a designation that maintained humanitarian aid access to the conflict-affected nation.
The latest executive order by the Trump administration seeks to restore the more stringent foreign terrorist organisation classification.
Trump’s directive cited the Huthis’ numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including “multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia,” and noted “more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023.”
The implementation of this order is expected to take several weeks.