US slaps Yemen’s Houthis with fresh sanctions targeting smuggling network

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, Report informs via The Times of Israel.

In a statement, the US Treasury Department said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers benefiting the Houthis, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

“The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

“These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes,” he said.