[01/09/2026 05:11]

WASHINGTON-SABA

The U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing on Tuesday titled “Countering Houthi Terrorism: Protecting American Interests and Red Sea Security,” focusing on the growing threat posed by the Iran-backed Houthi militia to international shipping, regional stability and U.S. interests.

Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Mike Lawler said the Houthis were a foreign terrorist organisation armed with ballistic and cruise missiles and attack drones, noting that the group had targeted U.S. forces, attacked American partners and threatened commercial shipping in one of the world's most important waterways.

Lawler said Iran had played a central role in developing the Houthis' military capabilities by providing weapons, funding, training and technical expertise, transforming a local armed movement into a terrorist organisation capable of threatening Americans and disrupting international trade.

He stressed that military deterrence alone would not be sufficient, arguing that efforts must also target the financial, procurement, smuggling and logistical networks enabling the Houthis to replenish destroyed military capabilities.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz highlighted continued Houthi attacks against commercial shipping and Saudi Arabia, warning that the group's activities had increased risks to maritime navigation and global energy flows while threatening to draw Yemen deeper into wider regional conflict.

He also called for stronger international efforts to curb the smuggling of dual-use materials and technology used to enhance Houthi missile and drone capabilities.

Yemeni-American researcher Nadwa al-Dawsari told the hearing that the continued development of the Houthi threat was driven by sustained Iranian support and the international community's underestimation of the group.

She stressed the need for a long-term strategy that strengthens the Yemeni government, noting that Houthi territorial control provides the group with recruits, revenues, ports, smuggling routes and areas for manufacturing and storing weapons.

Meanwhile, Allison Miner, Director of the Middle East Integration Project at the Atlantic Council, warned that an open-ended war could ultimately benefit the Houthis. She called for resuming humanitarian assistance, strengthening Yemeni government institutions and supporting the Yemeni Coast Guard.

She said a sustainable U.S. strategy should rely on continued cooperation with Yemeni and regional partners rather than oscillating between costly military intervention and disengagement.

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