Aden — The U.S. Embassy to Yemen has intensified its public messaging against the Houthi militia by publishing a provocative cartoon on its official X account, depicting the group as profiteers of the regional drug trade.

The illustration, shared earlier this week, portrays a Houthi fighter surrounded by narcotics and cash, with imagery suggesting the use of drug revenues to fund attacks in the Red Sea and across Yemen. The cartoon is accompanied by a caption accusing the Iran-backed group of “financing violence through heroin, hashish, and captagon smuggling.”

The embassy stated that the cartoon is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness about the Houthis’ alleged involvement in transnational organized crime. “The Houthi militia is not just destabilizing Yemen—they are poisoning its future,” the post read, warning of the social and security consequences of drug proliferation in Houthi-controlled areas.

The use of visual satire marks a shift in diplomatic communication, aiming to engage wider audiences and amplify concerns over the militia’s funding sources. The embassy cited reports from international watchdogs and U.S. agencies linking the Houthis to narcotics trafficking networks spanning the Arabian Sea and beyond.

Yemeni officials and civil society groups have welcomed the embassy’s stance, calling for increased international cooperation to combat drug smuggling and hold perpetrators accountable.

The cartoon has sparked debate online, with some praising its boldness and others questioning the use of satire in diplomatic discourse. Nonetheless, it underscores growing U.S. efforts to expose the financial underpinnings of Houthi military operations.