The Houthis have denied a report that they plan to impose fees on commercial vessels using the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The denial matters because any attempt to charge or restrict shipping there could further unsettle global trade routes already affected by regional conflict and maritime security risks.

The reported fees were said to concern ships transiting waters near Houthi-controlled Yemen, but the group rejected the claim. The Bab el-Mandeb is strategically important because it links the Red Sea and Suez Canal route with the Indian Ocean, and disruption there can force vessels to take longer, costlier journeys around southern Africa.