The U.S. State Department officially reclassified the Houthis in Yemen as a foreign terrorist organization on Tuesday. This move comes a little more than a month after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling on the department to issue the reclassification.
“Today’s action taken by the State Department demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, the safety of the American people and the security of the United States,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
“Since 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as U.S. service members defending freedom of navigation and our regional partners,” per the department. “Most recently, the Houthis spared Chinese-flagged ships while targeting American and allied vessels.”
The department also announced an up to $15 million reward and possible relocation for “information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms” of the Houthis.
“I commend the decision by President Trump and Secretary Rubio to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” wrote Gideon Sa’ar, the Israeli minister of foreign affairs. “The Houthis, an Iranian proxy, unprovokedly launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks at Israeli citizens and communities, disrupted international shipping routes and upended global stability. Terrorism must be eradicated!”
“We appreciate President Donald Trump’s designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization,” AIPAC wrote. “The Houthis pose an ongoing terrorist threat to American troops, our allies and international commerce.”
Former U.S. President Joe Biden declassified the Houthis as a terrorist organization in February of 2021. After attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, he redesignated the Houthis as specialty designated global terrorists in January 2024.
