Senator Reintroduces Bill to Increase Sanctions on Houthis
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced a bill Jan. 13 that would designate the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), saying the label would trigger more effective sanctions against third parties that supply the Yemen-based group.
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His legislation also would impose additional sanctions on the Houthis’ top three leaders. The bill, which is co-sponsored by six Senate Republicans, was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Although the Biden administration designated the Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist in early 2024 (see 2401170025), it has been reluctant to restore the FTO designation that it revoked in 2021, citing concerns about making it harder for humanitarian groups to operate in war-ravaged Yemen (see 2102100016).
Cruz said he believes the incoming Trump administration will restore the FTO designation and that his bill would ensure “the decision is backed and locked in by congressional action.”