The United States government announced Thursday new sanctions on the International Bank of Yemen (IBY) over its financial support for the Iran-backed Houthi militia. In addition to the bank itself, the sanctions list includes three senior executives: Kamal Hussein al-Jabri, Ahmed Thabet Numan al-Abbasi, and Abd al-Qader Ali Bazara.
“Protecting Global Commerce”
According to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, the move is part of broader efforts to disrupt the Houthis’ ability to finance attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea—attacks that have escalated in recent months and posed a threat to international trade.
“We are committed to disrupting Houthi financial networks and isolating their influence on Yemen’s banking system,” the statement read.
The sanctions were imposed under the authority of Executive Order 13224 (as amended), which enables the U.S. to take action against those supporting terrorist organizations. This step follows the re-designation of the Houthis (Ansar Allah) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group and a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)—classifications that came into effect in February and March 2025, respectively.
Support for Yemen’s Legitimate Government
The announcement emphasized that the United States is coordinating closely with Yemen’s internationally recognized government to protect the country’s financial system from Houthi infiltration—part of a broader strategy to counter Iran-backed terrorist networks across the region.
