The U.S. Must Crack Down on Houthi Human Rights Abuses in Yemen

At least one hospital in Taiz — Yemen’s third-largest city, which Houthi forces have besieged for almost a month — has had to dramatically limit the number of incubators in operation because of a lack of fuel. But international alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian situation largely elides Houthi culpability.

Taiz is experiencing water, food, medicine, and fuel shortages. Both the city and surrounding villages face daily attacks from the Houthis.

The international community has taken notice. Pope Leo XIV issued a “heartfelt appeal for hostilities to cease” on October 25. Patrick Simonnet, the EU ambassador to Yemen, separately emphasized “the urgency of finding a political solution that delivers lasting peace for Yemen.”

International attention on Taiz, and on Yemen more broadly, is certainly warranted. The Houthis have continued to commit war crimes throughout Yemen’s civil war, encouraged by the lack of international pressure. The Iran-backed group hopes that international intervention pressuring all parties over humanitarian concerns will force a premature political agreement to its benefit.

Previous International Intervention Worked to the Houthis’ Advantage

In 2018, the United Nations brokered the Stockholm Agreement between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government (IRG), which halted an offensive to retake the key west-coast port city of Hodeidah. The international community intervened over concerns that the humanitarian situation would deteriorate if fighting continued. The agreement left the Houthis — who did not abide by the deal’s terms, such as the requirement to move forces out of the city and ports — in control of the west coast and its ports. This territory became a major avenue for weapons smuggling as well as revenue generation through the taxation of imports. It also enabled the Houthis to terrorize commercial shipping in the Red Sea and disrupt international oil supplies.

The Houthis Won’t Respect a Political Settlement

Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, stated on October 4 that “the state had given peace all the time and opportunities it deserved, while the militias responded to de-escalation efforts with further mobilization and escalation.” Yemen’s foreign minister, Afrah al-Zouba, emphasized that the government would continue fighting because negotiations had not produced a political agreement and had instead allowed the Houthis to rearm amid relative calm. The United States and its partners intercepted at least six shipments of Iranian weapons to the Houthis during the most recent truce.

The Houthis also claim a right to southern Saudi territory, which indicates that any settlement would be only a tactical pause before they launch new aggression.

Washington Should Focus Culpability for Humanitarian Devastation on the Houthis

The Treasury Department should designate Houthi leaders involved in or supporting the siege under the Global Magnitsky Act or other appropriate authorities.

Currently, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the group’s leader, is not a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), despite leading a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He should be added to the SDGT list promptly. The group’s minister of defense, Mohammad al-Atifi, and military chief of staff, Yusuf al-Madani, are both SDGTs, but designating them for human rights abuses would acknowledge the Houthis’ role in perpetuating the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen. Collating Houthi human rights abuses into successive packages of sanctions would underscore U.S. concern and apportion blame where it belongs.

Washington should additionally insist that any diplomatic agreement regarding the siege of Taiz must include the Houthis reopening roads from Taiz to government-controlled territory in southern Yemen. A deal should not be confined to facilitating humanitarian assistance to territories under Houthi control.

Edmund Fitton-Brown is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Bridget Toomey is a research analyst. For more analysis from the authors, please subscribe HERE. Follow Edmund on X @EFittonBrown. Follow Bridget on X @BridgetKToomey. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.