Houthis say Bab al-Mandab Strait shipping near normal despite fighting

Yemen's Houthi group reported on Saturday that shipping traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a crucial waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, remained near normal, despite ongoing intense ground fighting in the region. In a statement broadcast via Houthi-controlled al-Masirah TV, the group disclosed that 73 international vessels, encompassing container ships and other commercial vessels, had traversed the strait within the preceding 48 hours.

The Houthi group also noted that 36 vessels had passed through the waterway on Thursday, while 37 did so on Friday, representing 98.6% of the average daily traffic observed prior to the Houthis' imposition of a ban on Saudi vessels on July 20. The group emphasized that international navigation remained "free, safe and smooth," while simultaneously underscoring that Saudi vessels remained barred from the area.

On Friday, Houthi forces asserted control over Yemen's western coast and vital locations surrounding the Bab al-Mandab Strait, following their seizure of the strategically significant Red Sea port city of Mocha the day before. The Bab al-Mandab Strait serves as a pivotal conduit for trade and energy shipments between Asia and Europe, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The Yemeni conflict escalated in late 2014 when the Houthis overthrew the government in Sanaa and controlled much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized government.