Houthis Grant Red Sea Passage Via Email, WSJ Reports

The Houthi movement in Yemen has implemented a system allowing ships to request passage through the Red Sea via email, according to a Friday report by The Wall Street Journal. Some vessels have begun contacting the Houthis before transiting the vital waterway, the newspaper stated, citing ship crew members and email correspondence. Applicants reportedly receive a response from the Houthis within 24 hours.

One ship captain's message, quoted by the Journal, emphasized the vessel had "no ties to Israel, the United Kingdom, or the United States" and requested confirmation of safe passage. Ships suspected of links to these three nations, all of which have conducted strikes in Yemen, have faced repeated Houthi attacks.

In another instance, the Journal reported the Houthis responded to a Chinese container ship's request by stating, "We are pleased you have understood the criteria related to the scope of the ship ban." The Houthis granted the ship a seven-day transit permit and invited it to subscribe to an email alert service for updates.

The report comes amid renewed fighting in Yemen, following the collapse of a truce in July between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. The Houthis have since made advances, controlling the western coast and the Bab al-Mandab strait, a crucial chokepoint for oil exports, especially with Iran's de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has also faced near-daily Houthi drone and missile attacks, including a significant assault on Riyadh Airport on October 10 that resulted in casualties.