Washington
The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 18 companies and individuals, including two Indian nationals on Thursday night, due to their suspected involvement in transporting Iranian oil for the Houthi movement. This network is believed to finance Houthi attacks, including those aimed at Israel, and disrupt shipping in the Red Sea.
The sanctions specifically target people linked to Indo Gulf Ship Management. Rahul Rattanlal Warikoo has been named as the managing director, while Dipankar Mohan Keot holds the position of technical manager. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that all assets owned by these sanctioned individuals and companies will be blocked.
These actions follow reports indicating that Iranian nationals, including captains of ships, have been involved in illegal oil transfers for the Houthi network. This situation highlights the ongoing worries about how the Houthis depend on such networks to fund their operations.
U.S. officials stress that these sanctions aim to disrupt the financial activities supporting the Houthi movement. The U.S. is committed to using all available tools to stop the flow of illicit funds that contribute to violence in the region.
