Yemen’s Houthi gov’t enforces boycott of US, Israeli goods over Gaza genocide

Yemen’s Supreme Political Council has announced a sweeping ban on all American products, set to take full effect after a three-month grace period. The directive, issued yesterday by President Mahdi Al-Mashat, is a direct response to Washington’s continued military and political support for Israel’s war on Gaza and ongoing acts of aggression against Yemen.

During a visit to the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Investment, Al-Mashat ordered officials to implement the ban and warned that “strict measures will be taken against anyone who violates the boycott decision.” He urged the Yemeni public to boycott not only US and Israeli goods, but also any businesses or individuals that continue to engage with such products.

الرئيس مهدي المشاط خلال زيارته إلى وزارة الاقتصاد والصناعة والاستثمار#مكتب_رئاسة_الجمهورية_اليمنية pic.twitter.com/Mx3xFrZ5Fm

— مكتب رئاسة الجمهورية اليمنية (@Presidentt_Ye) April 23, 2025

“This boycott is mandated by the Holy Quran,” Al-Mashat said, framing the move as a religious and national duty. The Houthi-led government will begin enforcement in three months, after which all American goods must be removed from shelves across Yemen.

The ban follows sanctions imposed by the Sanaa-based government on 15 US weapons manufacturers, citing their role in arming Israel amid its genocidal military campaign in Gaza. Yemen’s Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC) announced the sanctions on Sunday, noting that these companies have been added to the Sanctions List of Supporters of the Usurping Zionist Entity (SUZE).

Since October 2023, Yemen’s armed forces—aligned with the Ansarallah movement—have launched repeated attacks on Israeli and US-linked assets, including operations that have shut down the Eilat port in southern occupied Palestine. The Yemeni military has vowed to sustain these operations until Israel halts its assault on Gaza.

READ: 3 wounded in fresh US air strikes in Yemen