Former President Joe Biden had lifted the designation in 2021, citing the need to mitigate one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Yemen has been devastated by a civil war that escalated 10 years ago, when the Houthis seized control of the country's north-west from the internationally-recognised government and a Saudi-led coalition supported by the US intervened in an effort to restore its rule. Despite the dire situation, Biden relisted the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorists - less severe than an FTO - last January over their attacks on global shipping and Israel, which are linked to the war in Gaza.