Ships entering Yemeni waters must obtain permit, Houthi minister says

Before entering Yemeni seas, ships must seek a permit from the Maritime Affairs Authority, which is under the authority of the Houthis.

This was announced on Monday by Misfer Al-Numair, the Minister of Houthi Telecommunications.

Since mid-November, Houthi rebels have launched drones and missiles on foreign commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden on many occasions, claiming to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel’s Gaza war.

The almost daily attacks have increased concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict may destabilise the larger Middle East and driven businesses to take lengthy and expensive detours across southern Africa. In retaliation, the US and the UK have bombed Houthi sites.

“(We) are ready to assist requests for permits and identify ships with the Yemeni Navy, and we confirm this is out of concern for their safety,” Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, reported Al-Numair as saying.

The Yemeni order’s impacted territorial seas go halfway into the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a 20-kilometer (12-mile) narrow opening of the Red Sea that is used by 15% of all ships heading to or from the Suez Canal.