US threatens nations, companies sending oil to Yemen's Houthi-controlled ports

The US warned on Wednesday it would not "tolerate" countries or commercial entities providing fuel or other support to Yemen's Houthi-controlled ports.

"The United States will not tolerate any country or commercial entity providing support to foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Houthis, including offloading ships and provisioning oil at Houthi-controlled ports," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. "Such actions risk violating U.S. law."

The warning follows the State Department's designation on March 5 of Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), fulfilling what Bruce called "one of President (Donald) Trump's first promises upon taking office."

Bruce referenced Executive Order 14175, in which Trump stated that "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."

The US previously pledged to use "all available tools" to disrupt Houthi activities and degrade their ability to threaten American personnel, regional partners and global maritime commerce.

Trump said last month that he had ordered "decisive and powerful military action" against the Houthis and later threatened to "completely annihilate them."

The Houthis have targeted ships passing through the Red and Arabian seas, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more than 50,800 victims. The Red Sea represents a critical global shipping route, particularly for oil and fuel shipments.

The group halted attacks when a ceasefire in Gaza was declared in January between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, but resumed after Israel renewed airstrikes on the enclave last month.