Oct. 18 (UPI) — The Biden administration has targeted a Houthi financier with sanctions, blacklisting nearly 20 companies, individuals and vessels around the globe that facilitate his illicit funding of the Yemen militants.
Sa’id al-Jamal, 45, was designated by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in June of 2021, accused of generating tens of millions of dollars for the Houthi rebels in Yemen through the sale of Iranian petroleum.
Since the Houthis have involved themselves in Israel’s war against another Iran-proxy militia, Hamas, the United States has repeatedly targeted al-Jamal’s network of front companies, shipping vessels and associates in an attempt to cut the Yemeni rebel group off from a significant revenue source funding its destabilizing military attacks.
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id al-Jamal’s international network and affiliated facilitators to transport and sell Iranian oil, continuing their campaign of violence,” Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in a statement Thursday.
“Treasury remains committed to utilizing all available tools to disrupt this key source of illicit revenue that enables the Houthis’ destabilizing activities.”
On Thursday, the Treasury announced it had sanctioned five al-Jamal associates, five companies and eight tankers involved in his sprawling illicit shipping network.
“The revenue from al-Jamal’s network generates funds that enable the Houthis’ regional attacks, including their disruption of international shipping in vital waterways,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“This is the eleventh tranche of sanctions we have imposed on Sa’id al-Jamal’s network, and we will continue to use the tools at our disposal to target these illicit revenue streams.”
Israel and Iran have long been engaged in a proxy war that escalated on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a bloody surprise attack on Israel.
Israel has responded with a devastating onslaught on Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of people. Emboldened by the conflict, other Iran-proxy militias, have become involved in the conflict.
The Houthis, along with directly attacking Israel, have been enforcing a maritime blockade of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, attacking commercial and military vessels that pass, stating it is in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The sanctions freeze all assets of those designated while barring U.S. citizens from doing business with them.