Yemen’s Houthi group has denied a report that it planned to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The denial was issued in a statement on Saturday from the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), which monitors maritime traffic in the region.
The HOCC statement described its “safe transit service” as voluntary and free of charge. It cautioned that any party demanding payment for passage did not represent Yemeni authorities or the center itself. The organization urged shipping companies to avoid making payments or sharing information with unauthorized groups.
The Houthi announcement was a direct response to a Reuters news agency report published the preceding Wednesday. Citing unidentified regional sources, the report stated that the Houthis were considering imposing fees on vessels passing through the strait. According to the sources cited by Reuters, the proposal was discussed with Iranian officials during a Houthi delegation’s visit to Tehran in July. The report added that Iranian advisers were assisting in establishing an authority to regulate the fees.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a strategic maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. It serves as a primary route for global shipments of oil and other cargo between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Following the report, Yemen’s foreign minister-designate, Afrah al-Zouba, said on Tuesday that the Houthis were attempting to “copy the Iranian model,” referencing Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis began attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea in late 2023. The group has stated its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians and a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The attacks have disrupted global shipping, causing many companies to reroute vessels away from the Red Sea.
In a related development, Saudi Arabia announced this week the formation of a 14-nation maritime coalition. According to the announcement, the coalition’s objective is to protect freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
A United Nations expert report published earlier this year noted that the Houthi group may have collected informal fees from shipping agents in 2024, though it specified this information had not been independently verified. Official data indicates that commercial traffic through the strait has not returned to the levels recorded before the Houthi attacks began.
