A Minister in Yemen’s internationally recognised government on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) accused Houthi rebels of working under Iranian guidance to establish a system to impose fees for ships transiting the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Mr. Eryani said the assessment was provided by recently obtained “confirmed intelligence” indicating that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were helping manage the effort. He added that this would include “the establishment of a dedicated entity responsible for collecting payments from shipping companies and commercial vessels”. Last week, the Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and have since claimed attacks targeting Saudi tankers and oil infrastructure. The blockade has threatened Saudi Arabia’s ability to export millions of barrels of crude a day, cutting off the kingdom’s only other maritime route following Iran’s parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.