Brussels, 17 January 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The European Union, in contrast to the United States, will not now classify the Iranian-backed Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, because they are already sanctioned and changing the designation is difficult.

On Wednesday the US put the Houthis back on the global terrorist list, due to their ongoing attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Several US news organizations reported on Tuesday that the Biden administration had plans to do so.

The Houthis, which have carried out repeated attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, already have been subjected to EU and UN sanctions since 2022, a spokesman for the EU's External Action Service pointed out on Wednesday.

Those sanctions were imposed because of Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea. In addition, the militia was accused of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Yemen as well as a strategy of sexual violence and the suppression of politically active and professional women.

The sanctions already in force specifically stipulate that all Houthi funds and economic resources in the EU must be frozen. They also prohibit sending funds or economic resources to the group.

An additional categorization of the Houthis as a terrorist militia would primarily have a symbolic value in the EU and is comparatively difficult to implement.

The reason for this is that inclusion on the EU terrorism list would require a national court decision or a prohibition order from an administrative authority. This is not necessary for normal sanctions.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, Houthi rebels supported by Iran have repeatedly attacked ships there. Major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the route. One aim of the Houthi rebels is to force an end to the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, they say.

The EU is also currently planning a naval operation in the region to protect shipping in the Red Sea. The US and its allies have also been proactively attacking Houthi positions for several days now.

Photo: archive