U.S. Sanctions Houthi-Linked Financial Network Over Russian Arms, Stolen Ukrainian Grain

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on a network of Houthi financial facilitators and procurement operatives linked to Sa’id al-Jamal, a senior Houthi financial official backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).

“The Houthis have deployed missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and naval mines to attack commercial shipping interests in the Red Sea, threatening global freedom of navigation and the integrity of international commerce.  These indiscriminate attacks on civilian economic infrastructure, enabled and incentivized by the support of the Iranian regime, have resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and resulted in millions of dollars in damage to commercial shipping,” U.S. Department of the Treasury said.

The network has acquired commodities worth tens of millions of dollars from Russia, including weapons and stolen Ukrainian grain, for shipment to Houthi-controlled Yemen.

According to OFAC, the group also used eight digital asset wallets to transfer funds supporting the Houthis' activities. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the action aims to weaken the Houthis' ability to conduct attacks that threaten regional stability.

The sanctioned individuals include Russia-based Afghan businessmen Hushang Ghairat and Sohrab Ghairat, who facilitated arms procurement and coordinated grain shipments from Crimea to Yemen aboard the Russia-flagged vessel AM THESEUS. The ship, owned and operated by Hong Kong-based AM Asia M6 Ltd., was captained at different times by Russian nationals Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Vidanov and Yuri Vladimirovich Belyakov.

Additionally, Sohrab Ghairat is the director of three Russia-based companies—LLC Sky Frame, LLC Edison, and LLC Kolibri Group—which have also been sanctioned.

Turkey-based Iranian money launderer Hassan Jafari was sanctioned for working with Hushang Ghairat and Sa’id al-Jamal to move funds supporting Houthi-linked transactions. OFAC stated that Jafari enabled the network to bypass sanctions by arranging multi-million-dollar payments.

The sanctions block all U.S.-based property and financial interests of the designated individuals and entities. U.S. persons are prohibited from conducting transactions with them, and foreign financial institutions risk secondary sanctions if they facilitate dealings with the designated individuals.

OFAC’s action follows the U.S. State Department’s designation of the Houthis (Ansarallah) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group in February 2024.

The sanctions come as U.S. President Donald Trump toughens his posture against Iran and the Houthis.

The U.S. Air Force recently launched B-2A Spirit strategic bombers from Diego Garcia in strikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, hitting a military airfield and an Ansarallah leadership meeting. This marks a rare combat use of the stealth bombers, signaling U.S. readiness for high-stakes operations.

Since March 28, CENTCOM has carried out more than 60 airstrikes, targeting Houthi military bases, ammunition depots, and leadership. The Houthis responded with missile and drone attacks on U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea, though none were confirmed successful. The move is seen as a direct warning to Iran, with speculation growing over potential U.S. strike planning beyond Yemen.