US Sanctions Target Finance Network for Yemen’s Houthis

The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against what it said were members of an international financing network for Yemen’s Houthi rebels after the Iran-backed group recently escalated cross-border drone and missile attacks on its oil-rich Gulf neighbors .

The sanctions are aimed at a source of the rebel group’s financial support, targeting shipping companies and other businesses that the U.S. says smuggles petroleum and other commodities around the Middle East, Asia and Africa to fund the Houthis.