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.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pictured during a visit to the Qatari capital Doha. Before leaving, he condemned Yemeni Houthi fighters for launching an attack on Saudi Arabia - the latest in a series of calls for the Islamist movements to call a ceasefire
Houthi supporters shout slogans and hold up guns during a rally against the Saudi-led war and blockade imposed on Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen, last month
Critics pointed out that Blinken would have more weapons than just words with which to tackle the Houthis if he hadn't removed the 'terrorist' label from the Yemeni Islamist movement
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
