The government of Canada designated today the Ansarallah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, as a “terrorist entity” under the Criminal Code of the country.

 

The group, which operates in Yemen, has been carrying out several naval military operations in international waters in efforts to deter the “Israeli” aggression on Gaza; as well as carrying ballistic missile strikes and drone attacks on “Israel”.

 

The Houthis now meet the definition of a “terrorist group” under Canada’s Criminal Code, which now prohibits certain actions in relation to funding, travel, and recruitment – according to the statement.

 

“Today’s addition of Ansarallah as a listed terrorist entity contributes to our efforts in fighting terrorism globally and aligning Canada with our 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,” Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs said.

 

In January 2024, the US Department of State announced the designation of Houthis as a specially designated global terrorist through its Executive Order 13224.

 

The group is part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against the Israeli Occupation and the United States, and have periodically fired drones and missiles at “Israel” since the outbreak of the Gaza war.

 

The United States and other countries have deployed military vessels to help shield shipping from Houthi attacks and carried out repeated air strikes on their bases in Yemen.