Canada designates Yemen's Houthis as a ‘terrorist entity'

Canada on Monday officially designated Yemen's Ansarallah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, as a "terrorist entity" under the criminal code.

"Today's addition of Ansarallah as a listed terrorist entity contributes to our efforts in fighting terrorism globally and aligning Canada with our allies," Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a statement.

Describing Ansarallah as "a militant group," the government accused it of causing "unrest in the Middle East through numerous attacks targeting civilian and naval vessels on the Red Sea and other waterways, as well as those against Israel."

The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7 last year.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

"It is important to note that there is a differentiation between the armed political movement which is often referred to as 'the Houthis' (but is officially called Ansarallah), and the ethnic group in Yemen by the same name, which is not the target of this listing," the statement added.

LeBlanc further pledged that Canada "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."