Washington’s Escalatory Designation Against Sana’a: One of the Indicators of American Frustration

Yemen: Days before the end of Trump’s presidency, his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announced the designation of “Ansarullah” as a terrorist organization, in a final attempt to pressure Saudi Arabia and the aggressor states.

After Biden assumed the presidency, “Ansar Allah” was re-listed among his sanctions, which will impact humanitarian pathways without changing the equation that underscores America’s defeat in Yemen.

Meanwhile, new power dynamics on the international stage reject the old American approach.

The United Nations warned of the consequences of designating “Ansarullah” as a terrorist organization, due to its negative impact on its humanitarian efforts in Yemen.

This decision was made following Trump’s instructions to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), aiming to cancel humanitarian aid in response to Yemen’s stance on supporting Palestinian resistance.

An American Escalation of a Different Kind The U.S. designation of Ansarullah signals an escalation against Yemen, and it will face a Yemeni response on how to deal with the Americans.

Yemenis, particularly in Sanaa, are unlikely to remain silent. This designation reflects America’s rejection of any progress in Yemen’s peace process, as Washington’s position remains an obstacle to any international movement.

Any actions taken could be interpreted by some as exacerbating Sanaa’s stance and hindering UN efforts, but the reality is that peace is impossible with American involvement.

Despite the legal obstacles this designation might impose on international mediators, some of them can be bypassed, and it will not prevent the UN from operating with some arrangements.

With shifting equations, the U.S. is losing its leverage against Yemen, especially after the developments of 2023, including Yemeni successes in the naval blockade of Israel and the challenges the U.S. faced in confronting Yemen’s naval power.

The Weakness of the U.S. Designation The American designation is weak, as reflected by European reactions when “Ansar Allah” was labeled a terrorist group.

The European Union considered the decision to complicate the UN’s efforts to reach a settlement in Yemen and disrupt vital diplomatic communication with “Ansarullah” on political, humanitarian, and developmental issues.

This designation could hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid and exacerbate the economic crisis caused by the ongoing conflict.

The European Union is prepared to support efforts to mitigate the impact of the designation on aid and the economy, with a focus on the private sector’s capacity.

The Designation in Yemeni Calculations For Yemen, this designation does not affect the long-delayed settlement files, which should not involve Washington.

The file is linked to the Kingdom, which finds itself obligated to implement the requirements of peace, and it knows that the American designation does not mean severing communication or freezing solutions with Yemen.

American alliances rely on quantity, not strength, especially after their withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the American retreat became evident.

The only thing left is to test some of its elements, which collapsed during the first real test in Yemen.

Washington lost its leverage over Yemen after the developments of 2023. It would be foolish to test its naval power against Yemen again.

Using the militia card is not guaranteed, as it is constrained by the Saudi and Emirati positions, in addition to the failure of punitive and economic measures against Yemen, which were met with intelligence failures and direct attacks on the country.

This led to the re-designation of Yemen as a terrorist organization, effectively declaring war against Yemen and strengthening Sanaa’s position in its quest for freedom from American hegemony, targeting U.S. interests as seen in naval confrontations.

This can be compared to the case of the “Taliban,” which was designated a terrorist group before Washington was forced to negotiate with them after two decades of confrontation.

Source: Almasirah Website