Yemeni rebels consider imposing tolls on commercial ships plying southern Red SeaHouthi group.
The Iran-backed group imposed a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, opening a new front in Iran’s war, the Times of Israel reported on Wednesday (July 29). The Houthis plan to levy tariffs on most ships traveling through the Bab-el Mandev Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, although no specific timeframe for implementation has been disclosed.
Houthi officials visited Tehran in July to attend the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sources told the news agency. There, Iranian officials discussed with them plans to make customs collection in international waters a common practice and increase pressure on the United States. However, Chinese ships will be exempted from these tariffs, as they have already negotiated safe passage with the Houthis through direct negotiations.
An Arab official said Iranian advisers have returned to Yemen to help Houthi officials establish a specific authority or agency to control these fees. Afra al-Juba, the foreign minister-designate of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said the Houthis would try to establish control over the Red Sea and extort money from ships.
Despite strong opposition from the Gulf and European countries to this initiative, international navies are currently unable to fully protect commercial ships. On the other hand, Iran’s rejection of an offer by Oman to jointly operate and collect tariffs on the Strait of Hormuz has dashed hopes of breaking the trade deadlock in the region.
The closure of the Bab-El Mandeb pipeline or the imposition of fees has raised fears of a severe shortfall in oil supply, which would cut off alternative routes for Saudi Arabia. While it takes 50 days to cross South Africa via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to Asia, it only takes 16 days to cross this short strait. Even in 2024, they collected around $180 million in monthly fees in return for safe passage, a UN report indicated.
Source: The Times of Israel
Times BD/ Humaira
