The Biden administration is expected to soon announce plans to redesignate Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen as specially designated global terrorists, according to two people familiar with the White House decision and a U.S. official.

The move comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The group says it has attacked the ships in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The three people familiar with the decision were not authorized to comment and requested anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of the expected formal announcement.

  • PugJesus
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    310 months ago

    DID YOU KNOW

    It is possible to defend one’s country without killing 1% of a region’s civilian population in less than half a year?

      • PugJesus
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        610 months ago

        I wasn’t outraged at 600k dead Syrians? News to me.

        When Trump pulled our support for the Kurds, it felt like a blow to the gut.

        • @UnderpantsWeevil
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          310 months ago

          Trump was tight with Erdoğan (who was, incidentally, tight with Putin) so of course he backed his buddy over some upstart insurgents without the money to fly to DC and jerk him off.

          But Al-Assad is also tight with Putin, which makes Trump’s siding with Israel (which is also heavily dependent on Russia for net new immigrants and so a tentative ally) against Syria somewhat peculiar. That is, until you note that Iran is involved, and exists as its own pole within the Middle East that’s more allied with China than Russia and hostile to Saudi Arabia, which is loosely allied with Turkey and Russia, but which has been on bad terms with Iran for decades.

          So… uh… its complicated?

      • Sybil
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        410 months ago

        for this, we can literally blame the media. when they are silent about the syrian attacks and give israel 24h coverage, of course more people are going to have opinions on the subject the news is covering.

      • @rambaroo
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        210 months ago

        What a pathetic comment.

    • DarkGamer
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      10 months ago

      Did you know that reprisals for unprovoked attacks don’t have to be symmetrical and that doesn’t make it any less defensive?

      • PugJesus
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        510 months ago

        Did you know that reprisal attacks on civilian populations and collective punishment are fucking war crimes? This isn’t news; it’s been well-established since the end of WW fucking 1.

        But hey, continue calling Israel’s war crimes ‘defensive’ and maybe you’ll convince yourself of the holy necessity of genocide.

        • DarkGamer
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          -810 months ago

          These attacks are against Hamas, the once-elected government of Gaza who has widespread support there, not civilian populations.

          Yes yes keep crying wolf until the word genocide is meaningless.

            • DarkGamer
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              10 months ago

              The blockade in its current form is because of Hamas, there was a far less restrictive blockade before they were elected. Without Hamas there is no October 7th, which means no war and no airstrikes.

              It’s possible that they just would have chosen a different terrorist group dedicated to genocide of Jews to back though, as they have historically. It’s hard to know what lies on the path not traveled.

              • Sybil
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                310 months ago

                The blockade in its current form

                seems pretty obvious that there was a blockade before october 7, so it’s not possible that october 7 was the start of anything.

                • DarkGamer
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                  10 months ago

                  The blockade was put in place when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza to maintain Israel’s safety, and a more restrictive one implemented when Hamas was elected. Turns out it was a pretty good idea to have security at this border and to deny them resources with which they can attack Israel. October 7th was proof that it was insufficient, and it represents a start to this war and to the bombing. Gaza fared quite better before this unprovoked attack.

                  • Sybil
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                    410 months ago

                    a blockade is an act of war.

          • PugJesus
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            310 months ago

            These attacks are against Hamas, the once-elected government of Gaza who has widespread support there, not civilian populations.

            lmao

            Yes yes keep crying wolf until the word genocide is meaningless.

            Yeah, we get it, you don’t think Palestinians are human beings.

            • DarkGamer
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              -710 months ago

              You keep trying to put words into my mouth, maybe focus on positions I actually hold?

      • @UnderpantsWeevil
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        410 months ago

        Is this like when a cop bursts into your house and shoots your wife, your kid, and your dog, because they thought they smelled weed?