US sanctions 2 companies for supporting Yemen’s Houthis

By Merve Berker

The US sanctioned on Friday sanctioned two more companies for financially supporting Yemen’s Houthis, a State Department spokesman said on Saturday.

“Iran’s financial support to the Houthis has fueled their unrelenting attacks on global commerce in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” Matthew Miller said in a statement.

“The United States is today designating two additional companies that have been involved in the shipment of Iranian commodities in support of the Iran-based, Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal and his network,” Miller said.

“We are also identifying four vessels as blocked property in which these companies have an interest,” he added.

“The United States will continue to counter illicit Iranian financial support to the Houthis,” the official said, adding: “Along with our allies and partners, the United States will take available measures to hinder the destabilizing activities of the Houthis that threaten navigational rights and freedoms and global maritime trade.”

In March, the US Treasury Department listed Houthi leaders Mansur Al-Sa’adi and Ahmad Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi to its sanctions list.