US sanctions Houthi oil and shipping network, blocks tanker
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Jan. 16 designated 20 individuals and entities linked to Ansarallah, or the Houthis, and identified one vessel, while updating one existing SDN entry. The action took effect Jan. 16.
WASHINGTON, January 16, 2026 — The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated 11 individuals and nine entities linked to Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, and identified the crude oil tanker ALBARRAQ Z as blocked property on Jan. 16. OFAC also updated the Specially Designated Nationals List entry for Abu Sumbol General Trading L.L.C. to reflect its current name, Janat Al Anhar General Trading LLC.
The designations were made under Executive Order 13224, as amended, and target what Treasury described as networks involved in transferring oil products, procuring weapons and dual-use equipment, and providing financial services for the Iran-backed group. The listed parties include people and companies in Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Pakistan, India and Russia.
Among the newly listed parties are oil and shipping firms, logistics providers, exchange houses and aviation companies. Treasury said the action covered entities tied to Houthi oil trade and financial channels, weapons smuggling operations, and aviation-related procurement efforts. The newly designated entities include Adeema Oil FZC, Al Sharafi Oil Companies Services, Al-Ridhwan Exchange and Transfer Company, Alsaa Petroleum and Shipping FZC, Barash Aviation and Cargo Company Limited, New Ocean Trading FZE, Rabya for Trading FZC, Sama Airline and Wadi Kabir Co. for Logistics Services.
The individual designations include people linked directly to Ansarallah as well as to Albarraq Shipping Co., Arkan Mars Petroleum DMCC and Rabya for Trading FZC. Treasury said Ebrahim Ahmed Abdullah Al-Matari was designated for owning or controlling Albarraq Shipping Co., while Ameen Hamid Mohammed Dahan was designated for owning or controlling Rabya for Trading FZC. OFAC separately identified ALBARRAQ Z as property in which Albarraq Shipping Co. has an interest.
In the SDN update, OFAC said Abu Sumbol General Trading L.L.C. is now operating as Janat Al Anhar General Trading LLC. The updated listing retained the company’s SDGT designation and associated identifiers.
Regulatory Actions
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