Recently, several international media outlets, including Reuters, reported that the Houthi movement is considering "following" Iran's example and imposing transit fees at the Maldi Strait. However, this rumor was immediately denied by the Houthi movement publicly.
According to Middle Eastern media Al-Araby, reported on July 30th, Houthi militant senior official Hazam Asad stated in an interview with the media that they have no plans to collect tolls for crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Their current activities in the Red Sea are 'limited to blocking Saudi ships.'
Assad also emphasized that the ban on Saudi ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Gulf of Aden will remain in effect until the blockade against Yemen is lifted. He added that the Houthi forces have "multiple military escalation options, which are sufficient to force Saudi Arabia to seek peace and lift the siege on the people of Yemen."
The Strait of Mandeb is located at the southern end of the Red Sea and is a narrow but strategically important maritime passage. After Iran effectively controls the energy export route through the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Mandeb has become a crucial artery for Middle Eastern Gulf countries to export crude oil to the international market.
According to Reuters on July 28, sources said that Houthi military officials traveled to Iran in July to attend the funeral of the late Iranian supreme leader Khamenei. During their visit, Iranian officials held discussions with the Houthi side regarding the collection of fees for navigation in the Strait of Mandeb. The sources claimed that this move was intended to normalize the charging for international waterways and use it as a means to further pressure the United States.
Although the “charged rumor” regarding the Cape of Good Hope is denied, it is an undeniable fact that Saudi oil tankers have encountered obstacles in navigating through this area. According to data from the shipping tracking organization Kpler, the traffic volume through the Cape of Good Hope has been nearly halved compared to the average before this incident.
According to the latest reports from Reuters, in order to address this situation, Saudi Arabia is seeking to form an international alliance to protect shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houla movement. The composition of the alliance has not yet been finalized, and Saudi Arabia has already held consultations with dozens of countries regarding this matter.
