State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated, "After a thorough review, we can confirm our intention to remove the designation of the Houthis as a 'terrorist organization,' noting that Congress has been formally informed in this regard."
Price emphasized that the decision is "not related to our view of the Houthis and their reprehensible behavior," reaffirming his country's commitment to helping Saudi Arabia defend its territory against what he termed "Houthi attacks." Reuters reported that the retraction of the terrorism designation is linked to humanitarian consequences and will provide significant relief to millions in need in Yemen.
Senator Chris Murphy regarded Biden's reversal of the terrorist designation as another positive step from his administration. In line with this, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday that the U.S. needs to see more serious efforts from Riyadh to address civilian casualties in Yemen. Kirby stated to reporters, "We have long made clear that we need to see more serious efforts from the Saudis to address the problem of civilian casualties."
The Pentagon spokesperson noted that one of the factors driving this decision is the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Earlier, Kirby announced that the U.S. administration is reviewing the best ways to implement President Biden's goals of ending the war in Yemen and stopping support for hostilities and related arms sales. Kirby declared that the U.S. has halted support for military operations in Yemen after President Biden issued directives to work towards ending the conflict there.
