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Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:
In recent days and months, the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi terror group (a.k.a Ansar’Allah) has escalated its terror activities and severe threats against American forces and interests, international shipping, worldwide economies, Israel and other U.S. allies in the region. It’s long past time for the Biden-Harris administration to immediately re-list the Houthis as a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) so that strong sanctions can be imposed against the Houthis and those who enable them. The Biden-Harris administration also needs to strengthen its military actions against this severe threat.
The former Trump administration placed the Houthis on the U.S. FTO and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Group (SDGT) lists. However, on February 16, 2021, less than a month after taking office, the Biden-Harris administration, via Antony Blinken, revoked the Houthis’ FTO and SDGT designations, over the objections of America’s Middle Eastern allies. As ZOA previously pointed out, Blinken’s removal of the Houthis from the FTO and SDGT lists caused the removal of accompanying sanctions – and was a mistake that strengthened the Houthis’ ability to attack U.S. interests, allies and international shipping. Early this year, on January 17, 2024, the Biden-Harris administration was forced to take the partial measure of relisting the Houthis as an SDGT, which enabled imposition of some limited sanctions. But the administration has still failed to relist the Houthis on the far more effective FTO list.
ZOA also calls on the Senate to finally pass the “Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act” (S.3192), which requires the Secretary of State to re-designate the Houthis as an FTO within 90 days. The House of Representatives passed the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act (H.R. 6046) in a bipartisan vote on April 17, 2024, and issued a major accompanying House Committee on Foreign Affairs report on Houthi terror activities in March (H. Rept. 118-404). But there has been no action on the Act in the Senate, despite the ever-worsening Houthi attacks.
The House report on the Act warns that: “According to a recent Defense Intelligence Agency report. Iran (a U.S.-designated State Sponsor of Terrorism) and Hezbollah (a U.S.- designated FTO) have played a critical role in helping advance Houthi military capabilities, turning the Houthis into a well-armed, relatively sophisticated fighting force. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah commanders have embedded themselves in strategic Houthi military institutions and have commanders on the ground advising the Houthis with critical intelligence, planning, and targeting support. Iran provides the Houthis with everything from precision guided missiles to long range drones, while also helping grow the Houthis' own indigenous production capabilities.”
The Houthi’s recent dangerous activities and threats include:
• On August 8, the Houthis’ military, spiritual and political leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi (a.k.a Abu Jibril) stated that the Houthis will coordinate in any joint action against Israel by the so-called “Axis of Resistance” (Iran and its terror proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Iraqi militias, etc.). Al-Houthi further warned today that attacks on Israel are “on the way.”
• Yesterday , the Houthis launched a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that exploded close to a ship in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea. In recent months, the Houthis have targeted more than 70 vessels with missiles and drones, killing four sailors.
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