U.S. Sanctions 2 Individuals & 5 Firms Facilitating Weapons Procurement For Houthis

The US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed fresh sanctions on two individuals and five companies for their involvement in facilitating weapons procurement for the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen.

These measures are intended to restrict the Houthis’ ability to acquire advanced weapons and launch terrorist attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

US Treasury’s OFAC sanctions target key individuals and firms facilitating the Houthis’ weapons procurement and revenue generation.

Ali Abd-al-Wahhab Muhammad al-Wazir, a China-based individual associated with the Houthis, used his company, Guangzhou Tasneem Trading Company Limited, to acquire components for advanced weapons manufacturing in Yemen.

Tasneem Trading Company Limited, headquartered in Hong Kong, owns the Guangzhou Tasneem.

Al Wazir and Guangzhou Tasneem have been designated to operate on Ansarallah’s behalf and provide material support to the Houthis.

International Smart Digital Interface Limited Liability Company (ISDI), an Oman-based company, and Muaadh Ahmed Mohammed al-Haifi, its operator, have transferred cruise missile components, manufacturing equipment, and other dual-use goods to Yemen.

The coordination between ISDI and Mohammed al-Haifi and senior Houthi members directly facilitates Houthi strikes against U.S. partners.

ISDI and Mohammed al-Haifi have been designated to provide material assistance and act on Ansarallah’s behalf.

The Iranian-backed Houthis have also obtained vital components for their forces from companies based in the People’s Republic of China.

The Houthis have collaborated with Ningbo Beilun Saige Machine to obtain materials required to manufacture UAVs and other weaponry.

The Houthis have also worked with Dongguan Yuze Machining Tools Company Ltd. to obtain tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment for domestic weapon production activities.

Both firms have been sanctioned for providing material support to the Houthis.

In late May 2024, the Cameroon-flagged Otaria, managed by UAE-based Stellar Wave Marine and commanded by Vyacheslav Salyga, carried cargo related to Houthi financier Sa’id al-Jamal to discharge in Singapore.

The Otaria is currently transporting items worth tens of millions of dollars.

Stellar Wave Marine and Salyga have been designated to provide material assistance and support to Sa’id al-Jamal.

All the designated individuals’ properties and interests in property in the U.S. or control of a U.S. citizen are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.

Financial institutions and others that conduct transactions with these sanctioned entities or individuals may risk enforcement actions.

Brien E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, highlighted the United States’ intention to stop the flow of military-grade materials and funds supporting the Houthis’ destabilizing actions.

He emphasized that the Houthis’ strikes on commercial vessels, made possible by their access to critical missile and UAV components, had resulted in human casualties and substantial maritime risks.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles to target merchant ships and their crews in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

These attacks have resulted in fatalities, extensive damage to commercial ships, and continuous threats to worldwide freedom of navigation.

Reference: US Treasury

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