Houthi Attacks Escalate as U.S. Imposes Sanctions
Iran-backed rebels in Yemen intensify attacks on Israeli and American targets, prompting U.S. to blacklist Houthi funding network and seek expansion of maritime forces.
- Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated their attacks on Israeli and American targets, including commercial vessels and warships, in an effort to widen the conflict in the Middle East.
- The Houthis are seen as a major threat due to their proximity to major shipping lanes and their lack of accountability to any domestic political dynamics.
- The U.S. has imposed sanctions on a network of individuals and companies accused of funding the Houthis, who are believed to be receiving tens of millions of dollars from the sale of Iranian goods.
- The Biden administration is seeking to expand the Combined Maritime Forces, a 39-member coalition that counters illicit non-state actors in international waters, in response to the increased Houthi attacks.
- Despite the escalation, the U.S. and Israel are hesitant to retaliate against the Houthis, fearing that it could disrupt ongoing Saudi-Houthi negotiations to end the Yemeni civil war and risk a wider regional conflict.
Business Insider 
