Trump declares Houthis a foreign terrorist organization

When former President Joe Biden took over from Trump in 2021, he removed the designation that Trump had signed at the end of his first term.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order re-designating Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels a "foreign terrorist organization," the White House said. 
When former President Joe Biden took over from Trump in 2021, he removed the designation, which Trump had signed at the end of his first term. 
Biden's move came in response to fears by aid groups that they would have to pull out of Yemen because they were obliged to deal with the rebels, who are effectively the government in vast areas, including the capital Sanaa. 
But a few weeks after the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the Houthis began carrying out attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which they claim is supporting the Palestinians. 
They also declared US and UK interests to be "legitimate targets". 
In response, the Biden administration last year relisted the Houthis - formally known as Ansar Allah - as a "specially designated global terrorist" group. 
This slightly weaker classification still allowed humanitarian aid to reach the war-torn country. 
The purpose of the Trump administration's Wednesday decision is to re-impose the more restrictive "foreign terrorist organization" label. 
Trump's order says the Houthis have "carried out numerous attacks against civilian infrastructure, including multiple attacks against civilian airports in Saudi Arabia," in addition to launching "more than 300 missiles fired at Israel since October 2023." 
The order could take several weeks to take effect. | BGNES