YEMEN's Houthi authorities have denied reports that they plan to impose transit fees on commercial ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, seeking to reassure shipowners that passage through the strategic waterway remains free despite escalating regional tensions.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) said it had neither taken nor considered any decision to levy charges on vessels transiting the narrow chokepoint linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The denial follows a Reuters report earlier this week, citing regional sources, that Houthi officials had discussed plans to introduce fees for commercial shipping during meetings with Iranian officials in Tehran in July. The report said no timeline for implementation had been agreed.

"The HOCC categorically denies the accuracy of these claims and confirms that it has neither taken nor considered any decision to impose fees for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait," the organisation said.

The coordination body reiterated that its safe transit service for ships operating outside the scope of Houthi targeting restrictions remains "entirely free of charge" and voluntary.

Under the system, vessels can request confirmation from the HOCC that they are not considered legitimate targets before transiting the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Arabian Sea.

The agency also warned shipowners against making payments to parties claiming to represent the HOCC.

"Any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not represent the Republic of Yemen or HOCC in any capacity whatsoever," it said.

The clarification comes amid heightened concern within the shipping industry following reports that the Houthis were considering monetising their control over one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. Such a move would have raised complex legal, compliance and insurance questions for operators already navigating sanctions and security risks across the region.

According to maritime intelligence firm Marisks, the Houthi denial removes one immediate compliance concern for commercial shipping but does little to alter the underlying threat environment.

"Had fees become mandatory, shipowners would likely have faced the same sanctions, insurance and compliance issues now emerging regarding Iranian transit proposals in Hormuz," the firm said in an intelligence assessment issued on Saturday.

However, Marisks cautioned that the absence of transit charges did not reduce operational risks in the Red Sea.

"The operational threat remains unchanged," the assessment said. "Safe passage continues to depend primarily upon political targeting criteria rather than commercial payment."

The latest statement comes as regional security risks continue to intensify. Marisks said the broader Middle East conflict was increasingly evolving into a form of economic warfare targeting energy infrastructure, shipping and global trade flows.

The firm also highlighted a reported drone strike on the LNG carrier GasLog Shanghai in the Strait of Hormuz late on July 31, arguing that the incident demonstrated that even alternative southern routing options can no longer be regarded as significantly safer than traditional transit corridors.

While the Houthis' denial may ease immediate concerns about a formal toll regime in the Bab el-Mandeb, shipowners remain focused on the more pressing challenge of assessing whether vessels can safely transit waterways that continue to sit at the centre of a widening regional conflict.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday it had received reports of two maritime incidents ‌off Oman, including one in which a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile.

In the first incident, a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile about 11 nautical miles northeast of Oman's ⁠Lima, damaging its engine room and leaving the vessel not under command, UKMTO said. There were no reported casualties nor environmental impact, it added.