U.S. announces sanctions on International Bank of Yemen and cites Chinese firm for supporting Houthi attacks

The U.S. Department of State announced in a statement that it has sanctioned the International Bank of Yemen and key leaders of that bank for providing financial support to the Houthis and said Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited has directly supported Iran-backed Houthi attacks on U.S. interests.

The statement, attributed to a State Department spokesperson, said the United States is "committed to disrupting the Houthi financial networks and banking access as part of our whole-of-government approach to eliminating Iran's threat network." It added that Beijing's continued support for firms such as Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited undermines China's stated support for peace and called on international partners to judge the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese companies "on their actions, not their empty words."

The statement linked the sanctions and the designation of CGSTL's conduct to U.S. efforts to protect navigation and security in the Red Sea, saying, "Restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is a priority for President Trump." It said the United States "will not tolerate anyone providing support to foreign terrorist organizations such as the Houthis."

The statement did not specify the date the sanctions take effect, the number or names of the leaders sanctioned, or whether Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited was itself sanctioned; those details were not provided in the excerpted remarks.