Houthi Spokesperson Says Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Navigation Remains Normal

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait navigation remained 'safe and operating normally,' characterizing the group's ongoing operations as 'defensive and limited to previously announced targets,' amid reports the group had taken the Yemeni port city of Mocha near the strait.

Why this matters. The claim of normal navigation contrasts with reports of Houthi advances toward Bab el-Mandeb and could affect shipping insurers' and carriers' decisions on whether to reroute vessels away from the strait.