Reuters quoted six European officials as saying that Saudi Arabia is pressuring the European Union to classify the Yemeni Houthi movement, which is allied with Iran, as a terrorist organization.
The six European officials expressed concern that the inclusion of the Houthis on the list of terrorist groups may close the limited channels they maintain with the group, and may undermine any European participation in a future peace process in Yemen.
The government communication center in Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment. European Union foreign policy spokesman Anwar al-Anouni said that the bloc is in regular contact with Riyadh on a range of issues, including regional developments, but he refused to comment on any specific ongoing discussions.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas said that the Union stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, after a Houthi missile attack on King Khalid Airport in Riyadh in October.
That truce collapsed in July of this year after the Houthis accused Riyadh of bombing Sanaa airport. Since then, both sides have launched cross-border attacks that have killed and injured civilians.
The need for consensus among EU member states
Including the Houthis on the list of terrorist organizations requires unanimous support from the twenty-seven member states of the European Union. One of the six officials said that support has so far been limited to only a few of them, refusing to reveal the identity of those countries because the discussions were confidential.
Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the European Union to include the Houthis on the list of terrorist groups, a largely symbolic move, but indicating support within the continent to take a tougher stance toward the group.
The Houthis are already subject to European Union sanctions, including an arms embargo and a freeze on the assets of 12 of their leaders. The bloc classified the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the main supporter of the Houthis, as a terrorist organization.
But the European Union has not yet gone so far as to classify the Houthis themselves as a terrorist organization, a step taken by other Western countries, including the United States, Australia and Canada.
Yesterday, Wednesday (November 12, 2026), the US Soccer Federation informed the players of the U-17 national team that the United States was withdrawing from the World Cup organized by the International Federation of Federation (FIFA) in Qatar, due to security concerns. In a letter to the players, seen by Reuters, the federation said it had decided to cancel the national team’s preparatory camp and withdraw from the tournament “in light of the current circumstances.”
The union explained that the decision came against the backdrop of the Level 3 travel warning issued by the US State Department regarding Qatar, in addition to the related directives for US embassy employees and their families. “The safety of our players and staff will always remain our top priority,” the letter read.
The Federation added that it would inform the players’ clubs of the decision, asking them to refrain from making any public statements until FIFA officially announces the decision. FIFA has not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment.
Last month, the US State Department updated its travel advisory for Qatar, calling on American citizens to reconsider travel due to security concerns. The warning referred to attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Yemeni Houthi group allied with Iran, including targeting civilian airports and infrastructure.
The tournament, which includes 48 teams, will be held from November 19 to December 13. The American national team was scheduled to begin its campaign against Montenegro on November 21, before facing Chile and Algeria in the tenth group competitions.
The United States previously reached the round of 32 in the last edition of the tournament, which was also held in Qatar, which it will continue to host annually until 2029.
