European Parliament urges EU to list Houthis as terrorist group

The European Parliament has urged the EU to designate Yemen’s Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation, adopting a non-binding resolution by a large majority on Thursday 22 October 2026. (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20261018IPR48266/parliament-wants-the-eu-to-designate-the-houthis-as-a-terrorist-group)

The resolution calls on the Council of the EU to list Ansar Allah — including its military and political wings, leadership, and military and security apparatus — as a terrorist organisation, to dismantle all Houthi financing channels and freeze funds and economic resources belonging to the Houthis and their facilitators. (https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/european-parliament-calls-for-houthi-terrorist-listing-3007779)

MEPs condemned “in the strongest possible terms” Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia — including strikes on Riyadh’s international airport, energy infrastructure and schools — expressing “full and unwavering solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and commitment to the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. (https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/665656/saudi-arabia/european-parliament-urges-eu-to-designate-houthi-militia-a-terrorist-group)

The text also condemns the Houthi naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait as flagrant violations of international law, noting civilian deaths, displacement and a deepening humanitarian crisis. (https://egyptian-gazette.com/world/eu-parliament-urges-terror-listing-for-houthis/)

It welcomes the expanded mandate of the EU’s defensive ASPIDES maritime security operation, calls on member states to provide additional naval and air assets, and seeks enhanced EU–Gulf security cooperation.

The resolution’s lead negotiator, Hana Jalloul of the Socialists & Democrats, expressed “full solidarity with the people of Yemen and Gulf countries” on X. In Tuesday’s debate, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Houthis used “textbook terrorist tactics designed to sow fear amongst ordinary people in the region and also in the international community”. (https://app.ekkow.com/1486039962989445570)

The resolution is non-binding: implementation requires unanimous Council approval. The United States designated the Houthis a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” last year.