Sanaa — Yemen’s Houthi movement is weighing the introduction of fees on commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, regional sources told Reuters, just a week after the group declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. According to the sources, the Houthis are studying plans to levy charges on most maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The EU has already warned that the Houthis’ threats to impose a blockade on Saudi Arabia pose a “serious escalation” and a danger to regional stability. Aspides reaffirmed its commitment to protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding international waters. Despite heightened security concerns, the mission noted that commercial traffic has not declined, with an average of 43 vessels crossing daily.