U.S. Treasury Sanctions Houthi Leaders for Weapons Smuggling and Recruitment Schemes (Names)
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced today the designation of seven high-ranking members of the Houthis, for their involvement in smuggling military-grade weapons and procuring arms from Russia. Additionally, OFAC targeted a Houthi-affiliated operative and his company for recruiting Yemeni civilians to fight on behalf of Russia in Ukraine, generating revenue to fund the Houthis' militant activities.
'Houthi leaders have demonstrated their intent to escalate destabilizing actions in the Red Sea region by seeking advanced weapons from an expanding network of international suppliers,' said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 'The United States will continue to use all available tools to disrupt their terrorist activities and undermine their ability to threaten U.S. personnel, regional partners, and global maritime trade.'
The sanctions were imposed under the counterterrorism authority of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. This action builds on previous OFAC designations targeting Houthi weapons procurement networks on June 17, 2024, July 31, 2024, October 2, 2024, and December 19, 2024. Ansarallah was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the U.S. Department of State on February 16, 2024, for its involvement in terrorism. Yesterday, the State Department also re-designated Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Key Figures Targeted
The sanctioned individuals include prominent Houthi political and military leaders who have played critical roles in securing weapons and foreign support for the group's operations:
Mohammad Abdulsalam: The Houthis' Oman-based spokesman, Abdulsalam has managed the group's financing network and facilitated weapons procurement from Russia. He has traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian officials and coordinated visits for other Houthi delegations.
Eshaq Abdulmalek Abdullah Almarwani: A senior Houthi operative and aide to Abdulsalam, Almarwani has participated in high-level meetings in Russia and worked to advance Houthi interests internationally.
Mahdi Mohammed Hussein Al-Mashat: Chairman of the Houthi-aligned Supreme Political Council (SPC), Al-Mashat has strengthened ties between the Houthis and Russia, including direct engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also issues official statements outlining the group's militant and diplomatic positions.
Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi: A key Houthi operative and member of the SPC, Mohamed Ali has communicated with Russian and Chinese officials to ensure Houthi militants avoid targeting their vessels in the Red Sea. He has also planned trips to Russia to discuss military aid.
Ali Muhammad Muhsin Salih Al-Hadi: Head of the Houthi-controlled Sanaa Chamber of Commerce, Al-Hadi has financed weapons procurement through shell companies and traveled to Russia to secure defense equipment and investments.
Abdulmalek Abdullah Mohammed E Alagri: A senior Houthi operative, Alagri has represented the group in meetings with Russian and Chinese officials and issued statements defending Houthi-aligned financial institutions.
Khaled Hussein Saleh Gaber: A Houthi operative who has participated in delegations to Russia and coordinated illicit procurement activities with Houthi financial networks.
These individuals were designated under E.O. 13224 for acting on behalf of Ansarallah.
The Treasury also highlighted the Houthis' exploitation of vulnerable Yemeni populations through a human smuggling operation that recruited civilians to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan Al-Jabri, a Houthi operative and self-proclaimed major general, facilitated this scheme through his company, Al-Jabri General Trading and Investment Co. The company arranged for Yemeni civilians to join Russian military units in exchange for cash, creating a new revenue stream for the Houthis.
Al-Jabri and his company were designated under E.O. 13224 for acting on behalf of The Houthis.
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