Tightening screws on Houthis further, the United States on Friday (January 12) sanctioned two companies in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with an aim of cracking down on financial sources of the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen. The move followed US and UK strikes against the rebels who have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea, a vital waterway for global trade.
Houthi rebels have been claiming that their attacks on Red Sea shipping were in protest of Israel’s war against Hamas. The repeated attacks have forced shipping companies avoid Red Sea routes and the irreplacabl Suez Canal.
On Friday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Hong Kong-based Cielo Maritime and UAE-based Global Tech Marine Services.
Gravitas | US, UK warplanes, submarines and warships bomb Houthi targets in Yemen
The US Treasury said that these companies were suspected to have shipped Iranian commodities helping financial network of Houthi facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal.
“The revenue from the commodity sales supports the Houthis and their continued attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” the department added in a statement.
“Together with our allies and partners, we will take all available measures to stop the destabilizing activities of the
Houthis and their threats to global commerce,” said Brian Nelson, Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a separate statement that the US will continue to counter illicit Iranian financial support to the Houthis.”
As part of its latest move to impose sanctions, the US also designated four vessels as “blocked property”. The sanctioned companies are said to have interest in these vessels.
UN urges calm
The attacks by US and UK on Houthi rebels has raised realistic fears that Israel-Hamas war may spark a wider regional conflict drawing in several nations and groups further complicating an already complex situation.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonion Guterres on Friday appealed all sides “not to escalate” the situation in the Red Sea. His statement through his spokesperson came after US, UK attacks.
“The Secretary General further calls on all parties involved not to escalate even more the situation in the interest of peace and stability in the Red Sea and the wider region,” said Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
(With inputs from agencies)
