Houthis deny plans to charge traffic through Bab al-Mandeb Strait

Yemen’s Houthi group is denying “reports and claims across certain news websites and media platforms” that it would be imposing fees on commercial ships sailing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

“Transit through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is free of charge,” the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, which manages maritime traffic for the armed group, said in a statement.

“All vessels outside the scope of the declared ban may transit safely,” it added.

The Houthis announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20 in retaliation for what they called years of Saudi blockade and attacks.

It is originally an accusation expressed on July 29, 2026, by the Saudi-backed regime. No country had made a similar accusation.

Traffic through Strait of Hormuz plummets again, steady through Bab al-Mandeb

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has again dropped sharply, while shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remains steady, the latest data from ship-tracking firm Kpler show.

Its data show traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropping 77 percent on Thursday, from 22 ships the day before to five.

At the same time, traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb held roughly firm, with 41, 39 and 47 crossings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

The data point “to growing divergence across the region’s two strategic chokepoints”, Kpler said.

“With US and Iranian public positions still at odds, operators are closely monitoring traffic volumes, routing behavior and any diplomatic developments that could reshape risk across regional shipping lanes in the days ahead,” it added.

Houthis claim forcing eight Saudi tankers to change course

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the Yemeni group has forced eight Saudi oil tankers to change course, without providing a timeframe.

“The armed forces confirm that they are continuing the siege operation against the Saudi enemy and that the hand of the armed forces will reach its ships, God willing, wherever it is able to do so,” he added.

The Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, and recently rejected reports that it would be imposing fees on commercial ships sailing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.