The United States has sanctioned two individuals and four companies for facilitating the procurement of weapons for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In a statement, the US Department of the Treasury announced that the Wednesday sanctions targeted logistics personnel, transport facilitators, and suppliers based in Yemen and China who were procuring dual-use equipment for use in the Houthis’ advanced weapon systems.
Those sanctioned include Al-Shahari United Corporation Ltd, a company based in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, which is said to rely on a branch office in Guangzhou, China, to facilitate shipments to Yemen.
The US Treasury Department also sanctioned a Yemeni trader named Maher Yahya Muhammad Mutahar al-Kinai, who, according to the department, cooperated with other Houthi agents to “facilitate the transport of dual-use equipment and components.”
Following the start of the Gaza war, the Houthis launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea, forcing many shipping companies to alter their routes and provoking retaliatory strikes from the United States and its allies.
The US Treasury Department’s statement said that the sanctioned individuals “directly” supported the Yemeni rebels’ efforts to procure “military materials from abroad,” which were then sent to Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, enabling their ongoing attacks.
According to Agence France-Presse, Brian Nelson, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said that the Houthis have been seeking to exploit key areas like the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong for sourcing and transporting components necessary for their lethal weapon systems.
He added that the Treasury Department will continue to target these “facilitators” who enable Houthi activities.
