A week after declaring the blockade of Saudi Arabia, the Houthis were reported to be weighing transit fees on ships passing the Bab al-Mandeb. The reporting placed the origin of the idea in Tehran, raised during a Houthi delegation's visit in July, with Iranian advisers said to be helping stand up an authority to administer the charges. The Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations … [Read more...] about The Bab al-Mandeb Transit Fee the Houthis Say They Are Not Charging
Bab al-Mandeb
Houthi Blockade of Saudi Arabia: Bab al-Mandeb Traffic Fell 24 Percent and Then Stopped Falling
The Houthi maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, declared on 20 July 2026, produced a sharp and then remarkably flat effect on traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb. Transits fell from 354 in the week of 13 to 19 July to 269 in the week beginning 20 July, a drop of roughly 24 percent. Preliminary figures for the following week showed 266. The decline arrived immediately and then held … [Read more...] about Houthi Blockade of Saudi Arabia: Bab al-Mandeb Traffic Fell 24 Percent and Then Stopped Falling