U.S. sanctions target China-linked Houthi weapons procurement network

The U.S. has announced a round of sanctions targeting the Houthi weapons procurement network. The Houthis, an Iran-backed Shia Muslim militia, have been engaged in a civil with the Yemeni government for a decade. 

The sanctions announced Wednesday target actors in China and Yemen, according to the Treasury Department. 

Beyond their conflict with the Yemeni government, the Houthis routinely "attack U.S. military forces, merchant vessels, their crews, and civilian populations in Israel," the agency said in a statement.

The sanctions target the Houthis "global network of procurement operatives, shipment facilitators, and suppliers to procure and transport dual-use components and equipment needed to manufacture and deploy a range of advanced weapons systems."