US treasury imposes sanctions on network linked to Houthi attacks on international shipping

Nolan Zhu | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, US/CN
DECEMBER 29, 2023 11:22:23 AM
The US Department of the Treasury on Thursday sanctioned a network comprising an individual and three currency exchange entities based in Yemen and Türkiye for their alleged roles in financing Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. This stance follows a recent Houthi statement that they will not stop attacking ships in the Red Sea unless Israel stops committing “genocide crimes” in Gaza and allows humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

The sanctions list includes a financial intermediary located in Sana’a, Yemen, along with Nabco Money Exchange and Remittance Co, Al Rawda Exchange and Money Transfers Co, and Al Aman Kargo Ithalat Ve Nakliyat Limited Sirketi. These organizations are implicated as channels for directing Iranian financial aid to the Houthi rebels, with Al Aman particularly noted as a pivotal node for funds from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Notably, IRGC was officially designated as a terrorist group by the US Department of State in 2019.

The treasury’s designation of these entities on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) list effectively prohibits them from engaging in financial transactions with US nationals and seizes any assets they hold within US jurisdiction.

In the statement, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson emphasized the US’s dedication to obstructing the illegal financing avenues available to the Houthis, emphasizing the intention to disrupt the economic foundations that empower the Houthi’s disruptive campaigns: “The United States, together with our allies and partners, will persist in identifying and disrupting the networks that facilitate the Houthis’ destabilizing conduct, backed by Iranian resources.”

Parallel to the economic measures, the US military has been actively engaged in mitigating threats posed by the Houthis at sea. On Wednesday, US Central Command reported a successful interception by the US Navy, which shot down a Houthi-launched drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile in the southern Red Sea. The incident, which involved no damage or casualties despite the presence of 18 nearby vessels, marked the 22nd thwarted Houthi attack on maritime targets since October 19.