Yemen's Houthis Deny Plans to Charge Red Sea Shipping Fees Amid Escalating Maritime Blockade

Yemen's Houthi rebels, through the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), have denied reports that they plan to impose transit fees on commercial vessels navigating the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the southern Red Sea. The denial follows a Reuters report indicating the group discussed setting up a toll system with Iranian advisers in Tehran. The development comes amid heightened regional tensions, including a Houthi-declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, missile strikes on a Saudi oil tanker, and Saudi Arabia's subsequent formation of a 14-nation maritime defense coalition.

// Background

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a critical global shipping chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have targeted shipping in the region since 2023 in connection with the Gaza conflict, pausing briefly after a ceasefire in October 2025. A UN expert report previously suggested the Houthis may have collected informal fees from shipping agents in 2024. The current escalation follows a newly declared Houthi blockade on Saudi Arabia, which relies heavily on the Red Sea route due to ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

// Key Developments

• The Houthi-run HOCC declared its safe transit service is entirely voluntary and free of charge.
• The denial responds to reports that Houthis discussed implementing transit fees with Iranian officials in Tehran during a July visit.
• Yemen's foreign minister-designate, Afrah al-Zouba, accused the Houthis of trying to copy the Iranian model of charging ships in strategic waterways.
• Tensions remain high following a Houthi-declared naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, 2026, and a missile strike on a Saudi tanker on July 28, 2026.
• In response to the threats, Saudi Arabia announced a 14-nation maritime coalition to secure the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.