A senator slammed the Biden administration’s proposal to revoke the Houthis’ designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group in exchange for a guarantee that attacks on Red Sea shipping ships would end.
In a post on social media platform ” he wrote in a post on social media platform X. This would be an all-time low for the Biden foreign policy team. ”
At a dial-in press conference Wednesday night, U.S. special envoy to Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, told reporters that his hope as special envoy was to “de-escalate tensions and ultimately find a diplomatic outlet for the situation in Yemen.” It’s something you can find.” And, of course, to end military attacks on the Houthi military capabilities. ”
“We know that there is no military solution, and in that commitment all P5 members – Russia, China, France and the UK – are united in this goal, which will be very helpful to our listeners. “There is a strong consensus among the international community and key stakeholders to support future peace efforts,” Lenderking said.
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In response to additional questions, Lenderking said, “We’re certainly going to study that, but we don’t assume it will happen automatically.”
Tim Lenderking, the US special envoy for Yemen, speaks at a conference on the war in Yemen hosted by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on March 30, 2022.
On Wednesday, the region’s top air force commander also suggested the Houthis may be running out of swarms of drones and supplies of anti-ship ballistic missiles as the pace of attacks slows, according to the Associated Press. did.
The State Department told Fox News Digital that the SDGT designation is “an appropriate means of putting pressure on the Houthis at this time.”
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“The U.S. government is seeking to maximize deterrence against the Houthis while minimizing the impact on vulnerable Yemeni civilians as much as possible,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement. “We took this action to deny Ansarullah (the Houthis) the resources they need to further their terrorist activities, including missile and drone attacks on international shipping.”
Recruited Houthi fighters participate in a protest march against the US-led offensive on Yemen and the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip in Sanaa, Yemen, on February 21, 2024. (AP/Osama Abdulrahman)
“The ultimate goal of sanctions is to persuade the Houthis to de-escalate tensions and make positive changes in their behavior,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and assess the group’s actions to inform our position going forward.”
Houthi supporters participate in a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 8, 2024. (AP/Osama Abdulrahman)
In January 2021, the Trump administration designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) following the attack on the airport in Aden, Yemen. After he took office, the Biden administration announced it was rescinding the decision, citing the “dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.”
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In January, the regime relisted the Houthis to the SDGT after they continued to attack shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that they claimed were linked to or supporting Israel.
Genco Picardy was damaged by fire during a Houthi attack in January. (Indian Navy)
The US and UK have repeatedly warned the Houthis against attacks on ships, calling the attack a “clear example of terrorism and violation of international law” and calling it “a clear example of terrorism and violation of international law” and that it would “destroy human life, global trade and… the provision of humanitarian aid.” It is a serious threat to the . ”
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it would grant several anti-terrorism general authorizations in response to the change in the Houthis’ status, but former National Security Council official Richard Goldberg called this a “bait and bait.” It was called “Commercial Law.”
“They know that the FTO position puts extremist pressure on the Houthis. That’s why they don’t do it,” Goldberg, now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News at the time. told Digital.
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“Why avoid FTOs? It’s the same reason they were delisted in the first place,” Goldberg said. “They want the Houthis to be legitimized enough to become part of Yemen’s governing structure. Although they will issue all sorts of OFAC licenses to alleviate the SDGT designation. , this was not possible with the FTO designation.”
