The US State Department has urged Yemeni armed forces to halt their advance toward Marib, cease military operations, and return to negotiations.
The US State Department has revoked its decision to list the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement on the sanctions list for organizations deemed terrorist. The US Department of the Treasury clarified in a statement on Tuesday that as a result of the State Department’s decision, Ansar Allah is no longer prohibited under global terrorism sanctions or sanctions against terrorist organizations or under Presidential Executive Order 13224, along with its amendments. The Treasury Department noted that from now on, US individuals and entities will not need permission from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to engage in transactions or conduct business with the Ansar Allah group, unless there are individuals or activities still subject to sanctions.
Twenty-two humanitarian organizations operating in Yemen had urged President Joe Biden's administration to reverse the designation of the Houthi movement as a "terrorist" organization, given the implications of the Trump administration's decision on the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula. UN officials warned of a famine if Trump's decision were implemented. Newly appointed Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to "immediately review" his predecessor Mike Pompeo's decision that designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization.
Since August 2014, the confrontation between government forces and the Houthis, who seized power in the country, has continued. Since March 2015, an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has fought alongside the internationally recognized government. Nevertheless, the Houthis continue to maintain control over vast areas of northern Yemen, particularly the capital, Sana'a, and several regions in the central part of the country, where they have established their own governance and authority.
