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The European Parliament on Thursday approved a resolution calling for Yemen's Houthis to be added to the EU’s list of terrorist organisations.
The call follows an escalation in recent weeks of attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed group, which prompted the UK to pledge defensive missions to protect Riyadh, while the EU struggles to increase its naval presence in the Red Sea to shield commercial vessels from possible attacks.
The non-binding text, adopted by a large majority of MEPs in a show of hands, urged the freezing of all funds and economic resources belonging to the Houthis and their facilitators.
Inclusion on the EU terrorist list mainly entails financial restrictions — freezing all bank accounts and property held in EU countries, and banning EU individuals and companies from financing the listed group.
The final decision rests with the EU member states, which must approve any new listing unanimously.
The European Parliament justified its request by condemning the Houthi naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and their attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which are severely disrupting maritime traffic and driving up energy prices in the region.
The resolution describes the attacks as flagrant violations of international law, stressing that many Yemeni civilians have been killed and displaced, and that the country’s humanitarian crisis has deepened since the latest attacks.
The group formally known as Ansar Allah, which has been at war with the internationally recognised government of Yemen since 2014, launched a blitz offensive along the Red Sea coast in July to take control of the vital waterway crucial to the world's energy and cargo shipping.
A counteroffensive by the Saudi-led coalition saw much of the gains made by the Houthis reversed, but the group still poses a threat to international vessels traversing the strait that links Europe and Asia.
The Houthis have pledged safe passage to all ships bar those linked to Saudi Arabia, while continuing their attacks against energy infrastructure and airports across the neighbouring kingdom.
MEPs also stressed the crucial role of Aspides, the EU naval mission in the Red Sea, and urged member states to provide additional naval and air assets.
The mission currently has three ships from Italy and Greece, with two more pledged by Belgium and the Netherlands. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said at least 10 are needed.