Houthi militants in Yemen have issued threats against 13 American oil companies, including big names like ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Marathon Oil.
When the Houthis reference “sanctions,” they often imply terrorist actions or claims of infringement, hinting at a potential breach of the ceasefire agreement established with the Trump administration back in May.
The Houthis have been a jihadist group since they took over Yemen’s government in 2014, proclaiming themselves as “Ansaru Allah,” or “Allah’s Army.” Their chants of “death to America, death to America, death to Israel” reflect their ideological stance. Iran is notably the primary weapon supplier for this group.
The tension escalated after Hamas launched attacks against Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, triggering the Gaza War. The Houthis have engaged in drone and missile strikes targeting vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, along with seizing ships. They often claim their targets have links to Israel, although these connections are generally quite weak.
Following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on coastal locations earlier this year, the Houthis had agreed to “suspend” their attacks on transport but did not commit to stopping strikes against Israel.
In May, former President Donald Trump remarked, “From now on, all shots fired by the Houthis will be seen as shots fired from Iranian weapons and leadership.”
Recently, a Dutch cargo ship named Minervagracht was targeted in the Gulf of Aden by missile fire. The ship’s crew of 19 had to be evacuated by helicopter, with two individuals suffering serious injuries.
Witnesses reported the missile launch from Yemen, and French authorities quickly attributed the attack to the Houthis. This strike on the Minervagracht was supposedly in response to the ship docking at ports deemed “occupied” by the Houthis.
The Houthis also operate what they call the “Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre” or HOCC, but this is not dedicated to actual humanitarian efforts; rather, it serves as a front to issue threats to international shipping entities.
On Tuesday, the HOCC declared “sanctions” against 13 U.S. oil companies, as well as nine individuals and two specific vessels. These sanctions seem targeted at companies that have violated the Houthi stance on U.S. crude oil exports.
Two ships, identified as the crude oil tanker Seaways Sansaba and Seaways Brazos, were named and are reportedly connected to Diamond S Shipping Inc, a U.S.-based firm. Currently, both vessels are en route to South America, but the Houthis didn’t elaborate on why they were singled out.
