U.S. sanctions Houthi leaders, urges Iran to take action

The United States announced sanctions on two Houthi military officials leading the Iran-aligned movement’s offensive to seize Yemen’s gas-rich Marib region.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the move was aimed at promoting accountability for actions that undermine peace efforts.

The United States has imposed sanctions on the head of the general staff leading the Houthi’s Marib offensive, Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari, and on a leader of Houthi forces assigned to the advance, Yusuf al-Madani, the U.S. Special Envoy on Yemen said.

“The Houthis are not winning in Marib. Instead they are putting a great deal of stress on an already very fragile humanitarian situation, they are putting the lives of 1 million internally displaced people … in danger,” the U.S. envoy added.

Saudi Arabia in March proposed a nationwide truce and reopening of air and sea links to Houthi-held areas, but the Houthis have insisted that restrictions be lifted on Hodeidah port, the main entry of Yemen’s commercial and aid imports, and Sanaa airport before any ceasefire talks.

The group has also repeatedly launched cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, prompting the coalition to respond with air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The U.S. envoy welcomed direct talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran but said he has not yet seen positive Iranian engagement to end the Yemen conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions facing famine.