Houthis institutionalize Red Sea transit permits via email, formalizing control

Yemen's Houthis have established an email-based permit system for ships transiting the Red Sea, requiring vessels to request safe passage and receive approval within 24 hours. This formalizes their de facto control over a key maritime chokepoint, shifting from ad-hoc attacks to a structured toll-like regime. The move signals an escalation in their coercive leverage over global shipping, with implications for maritime security and trade flows.

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