Houthis to copy Iran's Hormuz playbook with Red Sea toll plan

Key Points:

• Yemen's internationally recognized government alleges that the Houthi armed group, with Iran's support, is planning to charge ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, escalating regional tensions and threatening a vital maritime route for global crude oil shipments.
• Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani cited confirmed intelligence indicating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) involvement in structuring the payment collection system from shipping companies, aiming to fund the Houthis' military and terrorist activities.
• The Bab el-Mandeb, a critical chokepoint for energy exports, faces disruption similar to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has previously imposed blockades and tolls, raising concerns about further instability in global energy markets.
• The Houthis have recently declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, conducted attacks on Saudi tankers and oil infrastructure, and contributed to reduced cargo volumes in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, intensifying the regional conflict.
• In response to escalating tensions and Iranian-backed paramilitary threats, the US and Saudi Arabia conducted strikes against pro-Iran groups in Iraq, killing at least 20 members of the paramilitary alliance.