Yemen’s government says the Houthi movement is preparing to impose fees on vessels transiting the Red Sea, according to statements from Yemeni officials cited by multiple outlets. Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani says recently obtained intelligence indicates Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is assisting the Houthis to build a “technical and administrative framework” to collect payments from shipping companies using one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors. Channel NewsAsia similarly reports that a Yemeni minister says Iranian experts and advisers are directly involved in designing the framework for the project.
The reports present the claim as part of Yemen government allegations about external involvement in Houthi activities in the region. Neither outlet provides independent verification of the proposed fee system, nor do they describe how fees would be calculated, collected, or enforced. The claims are framed as assertions by Yemen’s government and do not include responses from the Houthis or Iran regarding the alleged role.
