Yemen government says Houthis planning to impose fees for Red Sea transit
The Yemeni government has accused Houthi rebels, allegedly guided by Iran, of planning to impose transit fees on ships passing through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. This move is seen as a strategy to fund military activities and mirrors Iranian tactics used in the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters
Imposing transit fees in this critical maritime corridor could significantly disrupt global energy markets and escalate regional geopolitical tensions.
A Minister in Yemen’s internationally recognised government on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) accused Houthi rebels of working under Iranian guidance to establish a system to impose fees for ships transiting the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The narrow maritime artery has been a critical waterway for delivering vast quantities of Saudi crude to the international market, after energy exports were largely choked off by fighting in the Strait of Hormuz.
Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani described “the move as a dangerous escalation aimed at transforming one of the world’s most strategic maritime corridors into a permanent source of funding for the militia’s military and terrorist activities”.
Mr. Eryani said the assessment was provided by recently obtained “confirmed intelligence” indicating that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were helping manage the effort.
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