The Houthi group in Yemen is considering the possibility of imposing customs tariffs on commercial ships crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Regional discussions are underway to frame this move, aiming to pressure international powers and establish a new reality over strategic waterways, with proposals to exempt ships from certain countries, such as China. These developments occur amid an ongoing maritime escalation that involves blockades and targeting global energy and trade supply lines.