Canada labels Yemen's Houthi movement as terrorist group

The Canadian government has officially listed the Houthi militant group, also known as Ansarallah, as a terrorist entity.

The group, backed by Iran, has been active in Yemen since the early 2000s and has played a major role in regional instability.

In recent years, the Houthis have attacked commercial and naval vessels in the Red Sea, with these actions escalating in November 2023 in response to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

Canada joins the United States, which designated Ansarallah as a terrorist group in January 2024.

The decision to list the Houthis follows a series of strikes by Canada’s allies, the US and Britain, against Houthi targets earlier this year. Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, emphasised that the group’s actions threaten civilian lives and global supply chains, especially in the Red Sea, a crucial shipping route.

The designation carries legal implications under Canadian law, which includes criminal penalties for individuals or organizations dealing with listed entities.

Those associated with Ansarallah may also face entry bans into Canada.

The Houthis have historically maintained alliances with other terrorist entities such as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

The group's recent missile strikes on Israel and continued Red Sea attacks reflect the deepening regional conflict. The Houthis have controlled large parts of northern Yemen since 2014 and have been in a prolonged battle for power against Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

The ongoing civil war has resulted in significant casualties, with over 150,000 people killed in direct fighting, while another 227,000 have died due to famine and other war-related causes, according to the UN.