The Arab Parliament announced a comprehensive action plan on Friday to isolate the Iran-backed Houthi militia politically, financially, and judicially. The legislative body seeks to classify the group as a terrorist organization through an expanded regional and international parliamentary initiative.
In a statement posted on X, the assembly said the plan aims to rally a firm international stance against repeated Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The initiative also seeks to cut off funding and arms sources while holding those responsible accountable under international law.
The strategy operates along four main tracks. The first targets international decision-making capitals through direct engagement with parliaments of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The second track focuses on politics and security. It aims to push countries and organizations that have not yet done so to designate the militia as a terrorist group, foremost among them the European Union.
Parliamentary diplomacy will involve engaging European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. The parliament will urge European institutions to complete legal procedures to add the militia to official terrorist lists and expand sanctions on its leaders and affiliated entities.
These measures include freezing assets and funds to undermine the group’s ability to threaten regional and international security. The third track is judicial, aiming to activate international justice and legal accountability mechanisms.
A documented legal file will cover Houthi attacks and violations that constitute war crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. A communication will be submitted to the court office of the prosecutor under the Rome Statute, while countries concerned are called upon to prosecute those responsible.
The fourth track is economic, aiming to cut off funding and arms sources by pursuing financing networks, smuggling routes, front companies, and financial transfers. The initiative responds to criminal attacks against Saudi territory and vital facilities.
These attacks threaten Saudi security, maritime and air navigation, global energy supplies, and international trade. Dr Osama Ghanem Al-Obaidy, an international law adviser and professor in Riyadh, welcomed the plan.
He stated that the militia has been a terrorist organization since its creation, bent on the destruction of Yemen and the destabilisation of the region. Meanwhile, European parliamentarians last month strongly condemned missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and urged the council to place the movement on the EU terrorist list.
