Houthi minister says ships entering Yemeni waters must obtain permit

Ships would have to obtain a permit from Yemen's Houthi-controlled Maritime Affairs Authority before entering Yemeni waters, Houthi Telecommunications Minister Misfer Al Numair said. Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The near-daily attacks have forced shipping companies into long and costly diversions around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could destabilise the wider Middle East.