Secretary of State Antony Blinken under fire for 'urging' the Houthis in Yemen to call a ceasefire during a series of rocket attacks

Secretary of State Antony Blinken faced ridicule on Tuesday after once again condemning Yemen's Houthi fighters for launching a rocket attack and urging them to call a ceasefire, part of a familiar cycle since lifting the 'terrorist' designation on the Islamist movement.

Critics of the approach said he risked emboldening America's enemies as the Biden administration tries to use diplomatic approaches to groups intent on violence.

Victoria Coates, senior director at the National Security Council for the Middle East and North Africa under President Trump, said: 'If I had not been clearly told by my betters that this is not the case I might start to think these Houthis just might be terrorists.'

Blinken was one of a number of administration figures criticized for demanding the Taliban to show restraint and respect human rights as their fighters advanced rapidly across Afghanistan in July and August.

His latest intervention came after Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had intercepted a ballistic missile and armed drones fired at its oil region on Saturday by Houthis.

Two children were wounded by shrapnel, according to the country's ministry of defense.  

The Houthi movement, which has been fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen for six years, claimed responsibility for the attack.   

In response, Blinken called on the Houthis to pursue a diplomatic solution rather than use force.

'This is completely unacceptable. These attacks threaten the lives of the Kingdom’s residents, including more than 70,000 U.S. citizens,' he said.

'We once again urge the Houthis to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire immediately and to stop these cross-border attacks and attacks inside of Yemen particularly their offensive on Marib, which is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and prolonging the conflict.'

But critics have pointed out that an early act of his State Department was to remove Yemen's Houthi rebels from the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.

'We have listened to warnings from the United Nations, humanitarian groups, and bipartisan members of Congress, among others, that the designations could have a devastating impact on Yemenis' access to basic commodities like food and fuel,' said Blinken at the time.

The move reversed an eleventh-hour designation made by the Trump administration.   

Jason M. Brodsky, senior Middle East analyst at Iran International TV, said the U.S., European Union, and the E3 of France, Germany and Italy, were frequently guilty of a similar error.   

'Too often we see the Biden administration, the European Union, and the E3 relying on statements urging calm, calling on parties to negotiate, and condemning escalatory behavior,' he said.

'This applies to the situation in Yemen, but also extends more broadly to Iran and Afghanistan.

'Stiff demarches and statements, while necessary, are certainly insufficient. Solely relying on these tools risk emboldening the very behavior against which they are protesting.

The cycle of attack and condemnation in Yemen has lasted months.

In late August, Houthi drones hit an airport in Abha in Saudi Arabia. The attack wounded eight civilians and damaged an airliner.

Blinken used it to renew his call for a diplomatic solution.  

'We strongly condemn yesterday's attack by the Houthi against Saudi Arabia,' he said.

'The Houthis struck the civilian airport in Abha, wounding eight civilians and damaging a commercial airliner.

'We again call on the Houthis to uphold a ceasefire and engage in negotiations with [Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen].'

In Afghanistan, it meant a series of statements warning the Taliban it would face consequences if they conquered the country by force.

With Biden intent on withdrawing U.S. troops by the end of August, Taliban commanders were happy to call Washington's bluff and take Kabul by the middle of the month.

By then the U.S. embassy in Kabul had begun issuing strongly worded statements calling on the Taliban to release captured Afghan government officials and police officers.

'Additionally, we call on the Taliban to fully and earnestly engage in negotiations and end the suffering of the Afghan people and pave the way for an inclusive political settlement that benefits all Afghans,' it said.

On Tuesday, the Taliban cemented its grip on the country by announcing its interim government, which included two senior leaders of the U.S.-sanctioned Haqqani network.