WASHINGTON — The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on a group of currency exchange services from Yemen and Turkey that allegedly helped provide financing to Iran-backed Houthi rebels who have carried out attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the southern Red Sea – including a drone and a missile that were shot by the US military on Thursday.
Included in the sanctions are the head of a financial intermediary in Sana'a, Yemen, along with three exchange houses in Yemen and Turkey. The US Treasury Department claims the people and companies helped transfer millions of dollars to the Houthis at the direction of sanctioned Iranian financial facilitator Sa'id al-Jamal.
The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans.
Thursday's action is the latest round of financial sanctions aimed at punishing the Houthis.
Earlier this month, the US announced sanctions on 13 people and companies allegedly providing tens of millions of dollars from the sale and shipment of Iranian raw materials to the Houthis in Yemen.
Brian E. Nelson, assistant secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said Thursday's action “underscores our determination to limit the illicit flow of funds to the Houthis, who continue to carry out dangerous attacks on international shipping and risk further destroying the region.” to destabilize.”
Nelsons said the US and its allies “will continue to target the key enabling networks that enable the destabilizing activities of the Houthis and their backers in Iran.”
The Houthis have sporadically attacked ships in the region in the past, but attacks have increased since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, increasing after an October 17 explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed many and were injured. Houthi leaders have insisted that Israel is their target.
The US military's Central Command reported a new attempt to attack commercial ships on Thursday. It said the USS Mason, a Navy destroyer, shot down one drone and one ballistic missile fired by the Houthis around 6 p.m. local time.
“There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area and no injuries were reported,” CentCom said, adding that it was the Houthis' 22nd attack attempt on international shipping since October 19.
In December, the White House also announced that it was encouraging its allies to join the Combined Maritime Forces, a 39-member partnership that exists to counter malign actions by non-state actors in international waters, as it strives to push back against the Houthis. .
The attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels have deterred some of the world's largest shipping companies and oil giants, effectively diverting global trade from a crucial artery for consumer goods and energy supplies, which is expected to cause delays and rising prices.