The United States announced new sanctions on Monday, June 17th, 2024, targeting key individuals and entities in response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, which threaten global maritime freedom.

"We have designated three individuals and six entities that facilitated the purchase of weapons for the Houthis," said Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesperson. "We have also designated one vessel owned by one of the sanctioned entities as blocked property."

According to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department, the sanctions target entities based in China that enabled the Houthis to generate revenue and acquire materials crucial for manufacturing advanced weaponry.

These sanctions follow previous measures taken on June 10th, which targeted 10 individuals and entities linked to the Houthi group, which was re-designated as a terrorist organization in February. The U.S. cited the group's attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea as the reason for the re-designation.

Miller stated that the latest round of sanctions targeted four individuals, four entities, and two vessels involved in the illicit transportation of goods by financial networks supporting terrorism.

In January, the U.S. and the UK imposed sanctions on four senior Houthi leaders following attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. These leaders included:

• Mohammed al-Atifi: Houthi Defense Minister
• Mohammed Fadl Abdul Nabi: Commander of the Houthi Naval Forces
• Mohammed Ali al-Qadri: Commander of Coastal Defense Forces
• Mohammed Ahmed al-Talibi: Houthi procurement director, responsible for smuggling weapons, missiles, and drones supplied by Iran.

On February 16th, the U.S. decision to re-designate the Houthis as a global terrorist organization, which was approved in mid-January, went into effect.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, leading to increased maritime insurance costs and forcing many shipping companies to opt for the significantly longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

In December 2023, the United States, a key ally of Israel, formed a multinational coalition to protect maritime traffic from attacks by the designated terrorist group. Meanwhile, U.S. forces have been conducting strikes against Houthi military targets.

These latest sanctions highlight the U.S. commitment to countering the Houthis' activities and ensuring the safety of maritime trade in the Red Sea. The sanctions are intended to disrupt the group's ability to acquire weapons and finance its operations.