 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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Biden to put Houthis back on terrorist list |
The Biden administration is pursuing a narrow definition of designating the Houthis as a terrorist organization. |
The U.S. will designate the Houthis as a Specially Designated Terrorist Group (SDTG) in response to attacks the group launched against international commercial shipping in the Red Sea — what the Houthis say is a response to Israel's war against Hamas. The SDTG label differs slightly from a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) label, a designation imposed by the Trump administration in 2021 but revoked by the Biden administration over concerns that it would block humanitarian assistance to Yemen. Senior administration officials briefing reporters Tuesday night on the move said the SDTG designation gives the administration more flexibility in preserving humanitarian aid and commercial goods to Yemen for a population highly dependent on such deliveries. The officials underscored that the SDTG designation was in direct response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and not against the broader activities of the group. This is part of a larger effort to preserve U.S. progress in helping mediate a cease-fire in Yemen's nearly 10-year civil war between the Houthis in the north and the internationally recognized Yemeni government in the South. "The ultimate goal of sanctions is to convince the Houthis to de-escalate and bring about a positive change in behavior," a senior administration official said. "If the Houthis cease their attack, we can consider delisting this designation." The designation is expected to take effect on Feb. 16, giving the Biden administration a month to ensure humanitarian groups and businesses delivering life-sustaining goods to Yemen are not impacted by the terrorist designation label. Republicans who were critical of the Trump administration's designation of the Houthis as an FTO cited major concerns that such a designation would block life-saving aid for Yemeni civilians — an estimated 22 million people, half of them children, rely on humanitarian assistance. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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Nearly 50,000 veterans made use of an emergency suicide prevention program that was launched by the Department of Veterans Affairs last year. The VA announced Wednesday that 49,714 veterans and former service members took advantage of a new benefit that allowed them to go to any VA or non-VA health facility to get free emergency care if they were experiencing an acute suicidal crisis. The department said the … |
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| United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made a new push for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Middle East on Wednesday in remarks at the World Economic Forum. As the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas stretches past the 100-day mark, Guterres argued the parties involved are "ignoring international law, trampling on the Geneva Conventions and even violating United Nations … |
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his belief that finding a pathway for Palestine to become its own state is "necessary" for Israel to obtain "genuine security," while giving remarks in Davos, Switzerland. |
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The U.S. Navy fired a commander on the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia, citing a “loss of confidence” in his ability to command. Capt. Geoffry Patterson, commander of the submarine’s Blue Crew, was relieved of command Friday, according to a Navy press release this week. “Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct,” the Navy said in the press release. … |
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Trump Mar-a-Lago evidence request highlights defense strategy targeting Biden admin, Intel community |
Former President Trump gave a preview of his defense strategy in his Mar-a-Lago documents case Tuesday, making a sweeping request for discovery that accuses the Biden administration of “collusion” in the case and seeks to show "bias" from the intelligence community. Trump is accused of … |
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The Supreme Court's conservatives appeared inclined to cut back the regulatory power of federal agencies, with several justices during a pair of arguments Wednesday seeming … Read more |
| GOP rivals former President Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley are tied in New Hampshire, new polling shows, as the primary race … Read more |
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