Washington and London have announced the imposition of sanctions on four Houthi officials in Yemen, whom they consider responsible for organizing attacks on ships in the Red Sea and obstructing maritime transportation in the region.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated in a press release, "These sanctions reinforce the clear message we have sent to the Houthis in recent weeks (...) We will continue, alongside our allies, to target those responsible for the unacceptable and illegitimate attacks carried out by the Houthis, jeopardizing the lives of innocent sailors and affecting shipments of aid to the Yemeni people."

London reported that the goal of the sanctions is to "hinder" the Houthis' ability to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, emphasizing their commitment to protecting freedom of navigation.

Brian Nelson, Deputy Treasury Secretary in the United States, commented, "The ongoing terrorist attacks by the Houthis on commercial ships and their civilian crews threaten global supply chains and the freedom of navigation necessary for global security, stability, and prosperity."

Among the four officials subjected to sanctions, according to the British statement, are the Defense Minister in the Houthi government, Mohammed Nasser Al-Atifi, and the commander of the Houthi naval forces, Mohammed Fadl Abdul Nabi. The sanctions include freezing their assets and preventing them from entering British territory.

Houthi attacks impede navigation in the Red Sea, through which 12 percent of global trade passes.

This has resulted in increased transportation costs, as shipping companies reroute their vessels to the Cape of Good Hope, in the far south of Africa, extending the journey between Asia and Europe by about a week, as reported by AFP.