“I applied for permission via email to the Houthis to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.”

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 6th (local time) that Yemeni rebel Houthis are operating a system that permits passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea.

WSJ assessed that the Houthi rebels control the strait, saying it obtained and analyzed emails exchanged between the captains of ships trying to pass through the strait and the Houthi rebels.

In an email dated August 16 released by this newspaper, the captain of a ship wrote, "We officially state that the ship has no connection whatsoever with Israel, the United Kingdom, or the United States. The owner, management company, and operator of the ship are all Chinese companies, and all crew members are Chinese. We are applying for safe passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait."

Captain Lee not only submitted the scheduled sailing time and coordinates for each major point in great detail, but also promised, "I understand and will comply with the 'ban on maritime navigation to and from Saudi Arabian ports' announced by the Yemeni military (Houthi) on July 20, 2026."

The recipient of this email was '[email protected]'. 'HOCC' is the English abbreviation for 'Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center' established in 2024 by the Houthi rebels to process passage applications from shipping companies and notify them of the sanctions they have imposed.

WSJ explained, "Initially, ships not related to the United States, Britain, or Israel were able to pass without contacting the HOCC, but after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July, some shipping companies began to seek guarantees of safe passage from the HOCC before entering the Red Sea."

The Houthi rebels are said to have responded within 24 hours if they decided to allow passage.

In an approval email dated September 7, the Houthi rebels responded, “Thank you for understanding the criteria for the current ban on passage,” and “The applied vessel can safely transit the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea.” The passage permit was for 7 days.

He then emphasized, "Always keep the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and VHS radio channel 16 (international distress frequency) on during passage, and report any suspicious activity you see," and even attached contact information and tips for subscribing to an email notification service that provides the latest information.

The captain of the Chinese ship Zhongcheng Changling, which passed through the strait after receiving passage permission from the Houthi rebels, told WSJ, "The ship management company told us to contact the Houthis in case of an emergency."

WSJ commented on the Houthi rebels' permission email, saying, "It shows a considerable level of systematicity and rapid response capability," but pointed out that official guidance from international maritime authorities is that no contact with HOCC should be made.