U.S. designates Houthis, friends of Algeria & Polisario, as terrorist organization

The U.S. State Department has designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, sending a strong message to the Algerian regime and its polisario armed militias which had launched deadly terrorist attacks against Morocco’s Saharan territory.

“The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade”, said a statement released Tuesday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Since 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as U.S. service members defending freedom of navigation and our regional partners. Most recently, the Houthis spared Chinese-flagged ships while targeting American and allied vessels, the statement said.

President Trump had also listed the  group as a “foreign terrorist” organization and “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT) entity during the final days of his first term.

The designation restored by the State Department carries with it sanctions and penalties for anyone providing “material support” for the group.

Separately, the United States will not tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organizations like the Houthis in the name of practicing legitimate international business, warned the statement. The Houthis have confirmed ties with the Algerian junta and the Polisario separatist group.

In February, the United States called on the leaders of Rwanda to end their support for separatist group M23, itself already designated by both Washington and the UN terrorist organization, and to withdraw all Rwandan Defense Force troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“We call on Rwanda to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC”, said statement issued by the State Department.

After the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration against the Houthis, it is now the turn of the Algeria-backed Polisario thugs to be included in the U.S. blacklist.