Washington sanctions vessel linked to illicit Houthi financing

The US Department of the Treasury (DoT) has sanctioned one individual, one company and a vessel for allegedly facilitating illicit sale of commodities to support Houthi forces.

PHOTO: A container ship moored at the harbor. Getty Images

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned these entities for providing financial support to the Iran-aligned Houthi militants that have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea with missiles and drones since October 2023.   

The funds generated from the commodities shipment are used to procure drones and missiles used by the Yemen-based militant group to attack commercial vessels, the US DoT argued.

OFAC has sanctioned Cameroon-flagged ship, OTARIA, for loading commodities on behalf of previously sanctioned Houthi financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal. OFAC has also sanctioned the ship's manager, UAE-based Stellar Wave Marine, and its captain Vyacheslav Salyga.

The OTARIA loaded the cargo in late May and intends to discharge it in Singapore, OFAC said. It is currently carrying a cargo of commodities “worth tens of millions of dollars,” OFAC said.

“This action targets key actors who have enabled the Houthis to generate revenue and acquire a range of materials to manufacture the advanced weaponry they are now using to conduct ongoing terrorist attacks against commercial ships,” OFAC added.

By Aparupa Mazumder 

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