The US move came hours after the American-owned Genco Picardy was attacked by a drone in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday. It was the the third ship targeted by the militants since a major round of US and UK-led attacks on 12 January that included more than 150 precision munitions, including over 80 Tomahawk missiles and allied fighter aircraft.

Since the start of Israel-Hamas war, the western superpowers had been wary of a spillover and the recent war on Red Sea between Houthis and US, the cross border missile exchange between Pakistan and Iran, seem to have actuated the US’ worst nightmare being unleashed on the oil-rich West Asia. 

However, a deeper crisis may have been unraveled when US President Joe Biden re-designated the Houthis as “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” group. 

President Biden‘s first major foreign policy decision after he assumed office was to revoke the terrorist tag levied upon the Houthis by Donald Trump. However, three years later, Biden overturned his own decision in the wake of the Red Sea crisis.

When Biden had lifted the two ‘terrorist’ designation from up[on the Houthis in Yemen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the move came in “recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen”

The UN, as well as humanitarian groups and US lawmakers, had warned the “terrorist” designations could interrupt the flow of aid to the country.

According to Al Jazeera report, rights advocates and political analysts are sounding the alarm over the negative effects the decision may have on Yemeni civilians. Many also question whether Wednesday’s designation will succeed in pushing the Houthis to end their attacks.

More than half of the Yemeni population — 18.2 million people — is in need of assistance, according to the UN, as the country reels from an economic crisis, rising costs, mass displacement and hunger.

What is SDGT designations?

An “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” group designation focuses primarily on the finances of an individual or a group. In this case, it will freeze the Houthis’ assets in the US and prohibit American citizens from having any financial dealings with the organisation.

That label makes it a serious crime to provide support to a blacklisted group.

The designation seems like Biden‘s desperate effort to freeze funding for the Houthis in order to cease the Red Sea attacks.

Yemen’s humanitarian crisis

Yemen, already reeling from a humanitarian and economic crisis could now face a situation like Gaza, if US decides to continue with the airstrikes on Yemen. Civilian death would surge amid a dwindling standard of living. 

Further, financial institutions and humanitarian organisations “are likely to be very cautious about engaging with the Houthis in Yemen”, particularly until clear rules around the redesignation are laid out, Al Jazeera reports.

US-Houthi attacks heighten fear of Middle East war

The US claims that the strikes on Yemen were intended to weaken Houthi’s ability to disrupt commercial shipping. But if the latest attacks are any indication, the Houthis still have sufficient weaponry at their disposal to harass vessels in the Red Sea, something that may prompt President Joe Biden to expand the military campaign against them.

That in turn could heighten fears of the conflict in the Middle East — which began when Hamas sent militants into Israel on 7 October.

Israel has said it won’t let up its campaign in the Gaza Strip, despite widespread fears of a humanitarian disaster, wherein Benjamin Netanyahu has killed over 24,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The Houthis have cited Israel’s actions in Gaza as the motive for their attacks.

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Published: 18 Jan 2024, 11:24 AM IST