Trump Re-Designates Houthis as Terrorist Group Amid Middle East Tensions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump re-designated the Houthi rebel group as a terrorist organization on Wednesday, citing their threat to U.S. security and regional stability. The move comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, including attacks on U.S. Navy warships and civilian infrastructure.

In an executive order, Trump stated that the Houthis, backed by Iran‘s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), have endangered American military personnel and disrupted global maritime trade. “Supported by Iran’s IRGC-QF, which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023,” the order read.

The Houthis, who seized control of major Yemeni population centers in 2014-2015, have been accused of launching attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, deadly strikes on the United Arab Emirates in January 2022, and firing over 300 projectiles at Israel since October 2023. The group has also targeted civilian infrastructure, further destabilizing the region.

Trump’s decision reverses a previous move by the Biden administration to delist the Houthis as a terrorist organization in 2021. The re-designation underscores the ongoing threat posed by the group and their Iranian backers.

This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.