‘Irrelevant whether Houthis are designated’ as terrorists, Biden says, dampening speculation he’ll take step

US President Joe Biden appears to dampen expectations that he will designate the Houthis as a terror organization two days after calling the Iran-backed rebel group ruling Yemen a terror group.

“It’s irrelevant whether they’re designated,” Biden tells reporters at an event in Pennsylvania in response to a question regarding whether he would take that step after intensifying his rhetoric against the Houthis.

During his first year in office, Biden removed the Houthis’ terror listing amid pressure from progressives who argued that it was harming efforts to deliver humanitarian aid in Yemen.

The administration said it decided to review that decision in November against the backdrop of repeated attacks by Houthis on international vessels in the Red Sea, which the rebel group claims are taken in solidarity with Palestinians after October 7.

No update has been offered since then, but Biden’s affirmation to a question regarding whether he considers the Houthis a terror group led many to assume the administration was leaning toward slapping the terror label back on. The president’s remarks came hours after the US led airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen for the first time in years.