A senior political official from Yemen’s Houthi movement has denied reports that the group plans to impose fees on commercial ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Hizam al-Assad, a member of the political bureau of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening that Bab al-Mandab Strait “is open to international navigation safely and securely, except for Saudi shipping”. Earlier, Reuters, citing informed sources, reported that the Houthi movement was considering imposing transit fees on commercial vessels passing through Bab al-Mandab Strait, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Two regional officials, citing information from Tehran, told Reuters that Houthi officials travelled to Iran in July to attend the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where they discussed the proposal with Iranian counterparts. They added that Chinese vessels would be exempt from the proposed fees and that the Houthis had expressed support for such an arrangement.