On July 26, the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), controlled by the Houthi forces in Yemen, issued a statement denying plans to charge fees for ships transiting the Red Sea, emphasizing that the waterway remains open to all vessels. HOCC, which monitors ship movements through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, asserted that the "safe transit services" it provides are voluntary and free of charge. The statement also warned shipping companies not to make payments or share information with any unauthorized parties, as such entities do not represent Yemen or HOCC.
The statement follows a Reuters report on July 22, citing regional sources, that the Iran-backed Houthi group was considering imposing fees on ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This move came a week after the group declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. Sources indicated that the idea was proposed to Iranian officials during a Houthi delegation's visit to Tehran in early July, with Iranian advisers supporting the establishment of a fee-collection authority.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a strategic chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, where oil tankers and cargo vessels transit between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Implementing tolls on the strait would mirror the model Iran has applied in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been nearly closed since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war earlier this year.
Yemen's designated Foreign Minister, Afrah al-Zouba, said on July 28 that the Houthis are seeking to "copy the Iranian model" in controlling the strait. A fee on Bab al-Mandeb would be particularly damaging to Saudi Arabia, which increasingly relies on this route for oil exports as an alternative amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis have conducted a campaign of attacks on ships in the Red Sea since 2023, following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict, and only paused after a ceasefire in October 2024. According to a UN experts' report, the group may have collected significant unofficial fees from shipping agents during 2024, although this information has not been independently verified. Traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait has not recovered to pre-2023 levels.
In response to these developments, Saudi Arabia announced this weekend a maritime coalition of 14 countries aimed at protecting freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
