Houthi rebels as a specially designated# global terrorist g deterring further attacks by the# rebels on shipping in the Red Sea.

Today's announcement is a partial# reversal for the administration.

Nick Schifrin talks to the top State# Department official overseeing Yemen## policy about today's move and the ongoing tension.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today's designation# follows more than 30 attacks by## the Houthis on commercial shipping in the# Red Sea and of airstrikes in the last week by the U.S.# and the U.K. targeting Houthi capabilities.

Despite those U.S. and U.K.# airstrikes, just today,## apparent Houthi drones and missiles# hit at least two com Tim Lenderking is the U.S. special# envoy for Yemen and joins me now.

Thanks very much, Tim Lenderking.# Welcome back to the "NewsHour."

TIMOTHY LENDERKING, U.S. Special Envoy# to Yemen: Th as a specially designated global terrorist# group?

What's th TIMOTHY LENDERKING: Well, the reason that# the Biden administration did that is to## try to get at the problem, which is the# Houthi attacks on in And it is not American shipping or Israeli# shipping.

It is international shipping.

And so## having a problem of this scope, which is global# in its dimension -- I mean, bear in mind that## 15 percent of international commerce flows through# the Red Sea and 30 percent of container traffic.

So the fact that the Houthis have struck at# ships that affect 50 different countries,## we have really made every effort to show# that this is an international problem,## and it requires an international response.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Are these just and it hasn't changed any behavior.

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: No, I don't# think it will have direct impact.

It will# have impact on Houthi finances,## on ability of entities to do business with the# Houthis.

So I think there will be an impact.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Why not then relist them# as a foreign terrorist organization,## as the Trump administration did,# essentially a higher-level designation?

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: We felt that the FTO,# or the foreign terrorist organization,# designation was not something that was# appropriate to the current circumst Maybe we would go to that, but I hope we don't# have to.

What the SDGT does, as you mentioned,## is prohibit certain types of interactions from# the Houthi organization, but it also gives us## a little bit more flexibility to have carve-outs# and licenses so that essential commodities, food,## fuel, medicine, humanitarian supplies,# can continue to reach the Yemeni people.

There's no desire to hurt the Yemeni people,# who've already suffered from eight years of war.

NICK SCHIFRIN: We will get to those# carve-outs, humanitarian carve-outs,## in a second, but was it a mistake Houthis in both respects literally# on day one of the administration?

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: No, I don't think so.

I think the that Yemen would be a priority within the# international foreign policy.

And because of,## I think, the attention that we# have given to the Yemen problem,## we have been able to carve out, with# the U.N. and with the Yemeni parties,## a truce that's lasted almost two years, I mean,# a true end to most of the fighting inside Yemen.

It's a very significant development.# We have also been able to continue## pushing humanitarian supplies.

Now these# Houthi attacks on international shipping,## in fact, jeopardize that truce.

NICK SCHIFRIN: I want to talk about# the politics find a durable peace in Yemen, but,# first, the human Two-thirds of the country needs humanitarian# aid.

And despite the administration's effort,## we spoke to humanitarian groups today,# and they said that any designation,## even the one that you're making today,# could have a -- quote -- "chilling effect"## on commercial shippers and banks that these# organizations need to feed the pe So why take any step that# could put that aid in jeopardy?

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: Again, the goal is not# to harm or create obstacles in the well of the Yemeni people.

But it is to get at the# problem, which is the Houthi attacks on shipping.

Those attacks are also creating problems for# humanitarians.

They're driving up shipping## costs.

They're preventing ships# from moving into areas like Gaza,## which need desperately more humanitarian# assistance.

So it may be an im but I think we're trying to get the message# across to the Houthis and any other actor that## would decide to carry out its own particular# agenda against international shipping that## this is not something that the United States# or the international community can tolerate.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Over the last week,# as we said, the U.S. and U.K. have## launched three rounds of airstrikes on Houthi# drones, missiles, air defens the very things that the Houthis have used to# attack ships in the Red Sea and in the Gulf.

But, as we also just said, the Houthis launched# two strikes at least just today, including on## a U.S. ship.

So what evidence do you have that# these strikes have degraded Houthi capabilitie TIMOTHY LENDERKING: Well, the# strikes that the U.S. and the U.K.,## in conjunction with other partners, have# launched have certainly I think it's the hope of all of us that we're# not getting into an open-ended conflict here.## That is definitely not the intention of the# United States.

The United States wants to hit## those capabilities that are responsible for# the attacks on international shipping.

And I## think we have been quite disciplined so far about# keeping within those very well-defined parameters.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But where does this end?

I mean,## how many r point where they cannot continue to do what# they have been doing on commercial shipping?

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: This won't# be a military action alone.

I think diplomatic activity will continue,## very strong messaging and outreach to the# Houthis, see what combinatio incentives will get us back to an ability where# the international community can focus on the## peace effort in Yemen and move away from# this conflict and the attacks on shipping.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Could the military# strikes have an impact on the peace## efforts that you have helped lead,# from the United States' wh ich have had a lot of success?

Could the# military strikes actually imperi TIMOTHY LENDERKING: Well, we remain 100# percent committed to that peace effort.

I think we all want to get back to that focus,# that, whatever else is happ that Yemen can see an end to the conflict that# has dogged it for eight years.

And it's ironic,## but the Yemen internal peace process# that I described is at its best point in## the eight years of this conflict.

We can# actually begin to see an end to the war.

There's a road map to do that the parties have# agreed on.

So we have to get away from the## attacks on shipping and dial that back and get# back to a focus on the peace effort in Yemen.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And does that peace effort# empower the Houthis, who, at least publicly,## have not shown the willingness to bring# the peace that you would like to in Yemen?

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: I think the peace effort# will have a moderating effect on the Houth In other words, no party in# this road map, as I describe it,## gets everything that they want.

And the Houthis# are going to have to show compromise.

Th things that they want in this road map.# They have incentive.

They're looking for## international legitimacy.

And I think the road# map is one way that they would derive that.

And I think the international committee has## been very strongly committed to this NICK SCHIFRIN: Tim Lenderking, special# envoy for Yemen, thank you very much.

TIMOTHY LENDERKING: Thank you.