U.S. Imposes Fresh Sanctions On Ships Smuggling Illegal Oil To Houthis

Oil Tanker — Image for representation purposes only

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed fresh sanctions on the Houthi-linked weapons procurement network and vessels involved in smuggling illegal oil to support Houthi and Iranian activities.

The sanctions, announced on October 2, aim to cut off key suppliers in China and Iran that have been providing materials for the advanced missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by the Houthis.

The sanctions list includes one individual and three Iranian and Chinese companies. These entities are accused of playing an important part in facilitating the Houthis to acquire dual-use materials for weapons production, like missiles and UAVs.

OFAC’s sanctions target two vessels, FRUNZE and IZUMO, that were involved in illegal oil shipments used to fund these operations.

Shenzhen Boyu Imports and Exports Co., Limited, a Chinese logistics firm accused of shipping missile manufacturing components to Houthi terrorists, is among those sanctioned.

Two more Chinese companies, Shenzhen Jinghon Electronics Limited and Shenzhen Rion Technology Co., have been sanctioned to supply essential parts for Houthi missile guidance systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Hasan Ahmad Hasan Muhammad al-Kuhlani, an operator in charge of coordinating Houthi weapons smuggling efforts in Iran, has also been sanctioned.

A senior US official stated that these sanctions will disrupt the Houthis’ supply chains and destabilize their activities.

Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said that the Houthis use a vast network of companies and procurement operatives to carry out reckless attacks.

Two ships, the Gabon-flagged IZUMO and the Cook Islands-flagged FRUNZE, have also been linked to illegal oil shipments.

These vessels, managed by Gemini Marine Limited, transported petroleum products for the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff and networks associated with Sa’id al-Jamal, a sanctioned Houthi finance official.

The U.S. claims that these shipments have provided tens of millions of dollars in revenue for the Houthis.

These sanctions are built on earlier OFAC actions taken in June and July 2024, which targeted Houthi procurement operatives in several nations.

All of the entities named in this round are sanctioned under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorist organizations and their supporters.

Reference: U.S. Treasury

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