The U.S and the UK have announced sanctions on four senior Houthi officials.

The two countries said that the measures were as a result for their roles in supporting or directing attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

In a statement, U.S Treasury’s Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in a statement, “The Houthis’ persistent terrorist attacks on merchant vessels and their civilian crews … threaten to disrupt international supply chains and the freedom of navigation, which is critical to global security, stability, and prosperity.”

Those hit were Houthi Defence Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Atifi, Commander of Houthi Naval Forces Muhammad Fadl Abd al-Nabi, coastal defence forces Chief Muhammad Ali al-Qadiri and Muhammed Ahmad al-Talibi, who the two governments described as the Houthi forces Director of procurement.

The UK said that the four men were involved in acts which “threaten the peace, security and stability of Yemen.”

The U.S action freezes any US-based assets of those targeted and generally bars US citizens from dealing with them.

The Houthis say their operations in the Red Sea are in solidarity with the Palestinians and are meant to pressure Israel to stop its war on Gaza.

In response, Leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, said that his fighters will continue with their operations on ships in the Red Sea heading to Israeli ports until “the Zionist crimes stop” and food and medicine reach the entire Gaza Strip.

“Our battle aims to support the Palestinian people, and has no other goals,” he said.

“America is fighting for ships carrying goods to reach Israel, but it is preventing aid from reaching Gaza,” he added.

He added that more than 200 drones and in excess of 50 ballistic and cruise missiles have been used in the group’s operations.

Qatar Prime Minister Says Priority Must Be To End Gaza War

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a meeting with British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron in Doha, that ending Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip is a top priority to prevent it escalating into a full-blown Middle East conflict.

The comments come as concern grows over Israeli-Hezbollah fighting in southern Lebanon, as well as US-UK air raids on Yemen’s Houthis over its attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Al Thani said, “Priority must be given to ending the war in Gaza and prevent its expansion, which contributes to enhancing security and stability at the regional and international levels.”