Canada designates Yemen's Houthis as a 'terrorist organisation'

Canada officially classified Yemen's Ansarallah movement, widely known as the Houthis, as a "terrorist entity" on Monday.

The Canadian government said the group had instigated "unrest in the Middle East" through various attacks on civilian and naval vessels in the Red Sea and other waters, as well as strikes on Israel.

It noted that the group was closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force and Lebanon's Hezbollah, both also listed "terrorist entities" in Canada.

"As a now-listed entity, Ansarallah has met the definition of a 'terrorist group' under Canada's Criminal Code," the government said in a statement.

It noted that with the addition of Ansarallah, there were now 79 terrorist entities listed under the Criminal Code.

"The Criminal Code prohibits certain actions in relation to terrorist groups, including those related to terrorist financing, travel and recruitment," the statement added.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said that the designation had marked a "significant move in Canada's global counterterrorism efforts and alignment with international allies".

"Acts of violent extremism and terrorism have no place in the world and we will continue to take action to curtail the spread of these activities internationally and to counter threats to Canada, its citizens and its interests around the world," LeBlanc added.

The Houthis have also been accused by several rights groups of committing atrocities in Yemen.

Since 2014 Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war where the Houthis have captured the capital, forcing the internationally recognised government to flee. The group has imposed repressive rule in the country and has cracked down on any dissent, jailing thousands and confiscating large swathes of land. 

Solidarity with Gaza

Sine the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly been firing missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is action in solidarity with Palestinians in the enclave. The brutal war on the Strip has killed over 44,500 people, most of whom are women and children.

The group has also been attacking cargo ships linked to Israel in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, one of the world's busiest maritime routes for oil and fuel transportation.

The attacks on the shipping vessels have interrupted international trade, with over 40 vessels targeted, according to data from the global maritime risk management firm Ambrey Analytics.

In January, the US Department of State announced the designation of Ansarallah as a "specially designated global terrorist".