Aug 1 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi-run maritime coordination body denied on Saturday that it planned to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait, saying no such decision had been taken and that passage through the strategic waterway remained free. The statement follows a Reuters report on Wednesday, citing regional sources, that the Iran-aligned Houthis were considering imposing fees on ships sailing through the southern Red Sea, a week after declaring a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia.

Yemen's Houthi faction is exploring the potential of levying fees on maritime traffic in the southern Red Sea. This fee proposal emerged from discussions between Iranian officials…

Yemen’s Houthis are considering charging commercial vessels to pass through Bab al-Mandeb, regional officials familiar with the discussions told the Reuters news agency.

Houthis have entered the chat...

The Houthis are considering charging fees on vessels sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.