Yemen's Houthis Deny Plans to Impose Fees on Red Sea Shipping, Ensuring Free Passage
Yemen's Houthi rebels have publicly denied any intentions to charge ships for transiting the Red Sea, specifically through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This statement was issued by the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), which emphasized that the passage remains free and any claims of fees do not represent the Republic of Yemen or the HOCC. This denial comes in response to a Reuters report suggesting that the Houthis were considering imposing such fees, following a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia. The report indicated that discussions about the fees were held with Iranian officials, with Iranian advisers allegedly assisting in establishing an authority to regulate these fees. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a crucial maritime chokepoint for global shipping, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. 
