The United States will once again consider Yemen’s Houthi rebels a terrorist group, US media reported, after previously dropping the classification in 2021, AFP reports.

The designation, expected today, of the Houthis as a “specially designated global terrorist” entity comes amid attacks by the group on shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea.

The Houthis say they have been targeting Israeli-linked vessels, but Washington says dozens of countries have connections to ships that have been attacked.

Washington had previously designated the Houthis as a terrorist group in January 2021, in the waning days of the Donald Trump administration — a move that was reversed the following month by US President Joe Biden.