Washington: We are working to deprive the Houthis of weapons and funding sources - Sarmad
A U.S. official stated that freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the region, along with preventing the export of terrorism, represent core U.S. interests in the Middle East, emphasizing the continued actions of President Donald Trump’s administration against the Iran-backed Houthi group.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, speaking to Sky News Arabia in response to a question about Washington’s handling of the threats posed by the Houthis to the Bab al-Mandab strait, said the Trump administration “has clearly demonstrated its commitment to defending these interests against aggression originating from Iran and its proxies.”
He added that “the United States has worked to deprive the Iran-backed Houthi group of access to funding sources and weapons whenever the opportunity arose,” noting that his country “has imposed sanctions on more than 200 entities linked to the Houthis, whom the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization,” as part of efforts to limit the group’s capacity to carry out “terrorist acts.”
Regarding support provided to the Yemeni government in response to Houthi attacks following a request by Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi, the State Department spokesperson continued: “We regularly engage with our regional allies and partners on Yemen, and we continue to focus on achieving our shared objectives in combating terrorism, in the face of the Houthis and other terrorist groups sowing chaos across the region.”
Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump last Sunday, during which he requested Washington’s support in confronting the Houthis amid renewed fighting in Yemen.
However, a source told Reuters that “Trump did not commit to providing U.S. support,” but noted that the call “constitutes political support for the Presidential Leadership Council amid developments in Yemen’s situation and the confrontation with the Houthis.”
