The Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned for companies and two individuals it said are part of Houthi weapons procurment networks. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI | License Photo
The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned four companies and two individuals it said are part of Houthi weapons procurement networks in Hong Kong and Yemen.
In a statement Treasury said the targets of the sanctions “have directly supported Houthis’ efforts to procure military-grade materials abroad and ship these items to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, enabling the group’s ongoing attacks.” Advertisement
Al-Shahari United Corporation Ltd., Guangzhou Alshahari United Corporation Limited, Hong Kong Alshahari United Corporation Limited and the Yemen Telecommunication Asset Company for Information Technology are the companies sanctioned Wednesday.
The individuals are Maher Yahya Muhammad Mutahar al-Kinai and Ahmed Khaled Yahya Al-Shahare.
Al-Kinai was described by the Treasury Department as a Yemeni businessman “who has supported Houthi military procurement and smuggling efforts.”
Al-Shahare is the Director and General Manager of the Guangzhou Alshahari company.
“The Houthis have sought to exploit key jurisdictions like the PRC and Hong Kong in order to source and transport the components necessary for their deadly weapons systems,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson in a statement.
He added that the Treasury “will continue to target the facilitators that enable the Houthis’ destabilizing activities.” Advertisement
The Treasury Department said the Houthis rely on a global procurement network to supply them with weapons they have used since November 2023 “to attack U.S. military forces, merchant vessels, their crews, and civilian populations in Israel.”
Treasury said the Al-Shahari United is a Sanaa, Yemen-based logistic company that has facilitated weapons smuggling shipments.
The Guangzhou Alshahari company has allegedly helped facilitate shipments from China to Yemen. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hongkong Alshahari company.
Al-Shahare directs and manages the Guangzhou Alshahari company.
On July 18 more sanctions against the Houthis were announced, targeting two individuals, three companies and several ships accused of raising tens of millions of dollars for the Houthis.
The Houthis have attacked more than 50 commercial vessels traveling through the Red Sea since Nov. 19.
On June 17, the Biden administration also sanctioned Houthi procurement and revenue-generating networks, many of them based in China.
The sanctions are part of the effort to counteract Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis claim they are carrying out the attacks in solidarity with Palestinians Israel is killing in the war against Hamas in Gaza.
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