US report: Washington should provide intelligence and material support to the Yemeni Coast Guard

An analysis by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the American FFD , called on Washington to join the United Kingdom in providing intelligence and material support to the Yemeni Coast Guard, thus enabling the Yemeni government to operate independently against Iranian and Houthi smugglers.

The analysis , translated by "Yemeni Youth Net", indicated that the US Navy had previously confiscated illegal Iranian weapons that were on their way to the Houthis.

He said that America should encourage Muscat in particular to take strict measures against smugglers who exploit Omani territory to send weapons to the Houthis, explaining that obstructing the flow of weapons would lead to a reduction in the Houthis' military capabilities.

Similarly, Bridget Toomey, a research analyst specializing in Iranian proxies, particularly Iraqi militias and the Houthis, argues that as part of its designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, the United States should impose a visa ban and require U.S. banks to block Houthi assets.

She added that it should initiate extraterritorial criminal prosecution against any American person subject to American jurisdiction who provides material support to the Houthis.

In addition, Washington should impose sanctions on any country or entity that does business with or assists the Houthis.

In an incident that highlights the instability of the Red Sea, the Houthis fired surface-to-air missiles at a U.S. F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper drone on Feb. 19, but missed on Monday, according to reports from Reuters and Fox News.

These reports come on the heels of previous Houthi claims that the group shot down 14 MQ-9 Reaper drones. Since its attacks began, however, the Pentagon has cast doubt on the total number of drones shot down.

On January 22, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to begin the process of redesignating the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization. According to the executive order, the Secretary of State has until March 8 to take the necessary steps to designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.

This designation would impose major economic, legal and diplomatic sanctions on the Houthis to restrict their operations.