Treasury Increases Pressure on Houthi Smuggling and Illicit Revenue Generation Networks
Department of The Treasury - Press Release
January 16, 2026
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating 21 individuals and entities and identifying one vessel that have transferred oil products, procured weapons and dual-use equipment, and provided financial services for Iran-backed terrorist organization Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis. This action targets financial conduits between the Iranian government and the Houthis, building on previous Treasury actions to constrict the Iranian regime’s use of its oil wealth to fund regional terrorist proxies at the expense of the Iranian population’s welfare. It also targets key front companies, facilitators, and operatives located in Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that are part of the Houthis’ vast revenue generation and smuggling networks, which enable the group to sustain its capability to conduct destabilizing regional activities and unprovoked attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
“The Houthis threaten the United States by committing acts of terror and attacking commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. Treasury is taking action to cut off nearly two dozen individuals and entities involved in transferring oil, procuring weapons, and providing financial services for this Iran-backed terrorist organization,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to expose the networks and individuals enabling Houthi terrorism.”
Today’s action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, and builds on OFAC’s numerous actions targeting Houthi leaders, smugglers, financiers, procurement operatives, and suppliers. The U.S. Department of State designated Ansarallah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, effective February 16, 2024, and subsequently also designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) pursuant to section 2019 of the Immigration and Nationality Act on March 5, 2025.
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Source: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0367