WSJ probe reports ships email Houthis to secure safe Red Sea passage
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- An investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed that Yemen's Houthi movement runs an administrative channel via its Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC)
- Commercial operators attempting to avoid attacks are submitting formal declarations disclaiming links to 'Israel', the United States, the United Kingdom, or Saudi Arabia
An investigation by The Wall Street Journal stated that commercial shipping operators are utilizing an informal email application system operated by Yemen's Houthi movement to secure safe transit assurances through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The mechanism is administered through the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), an entity established by the Houthis in early 2024 to enforce maritime restrictions and process clearance applications from international shipping companies, as stated by the probe.
Under the procedure, vessel operators send formal declarations to a designated email address, disclaiming ownership, management, or crew links to 'Israel', the United States, or the United Kingdom, alongside detailed voyage itineraries and estimated arrival times at specific maritime waypoints.
The HOCC typically replies within 24 hours to signal whether a vessel is authorized for transit, directing crews to keep their Automatic Identification System (AIS) active and maintain watch on VHF Channel 16 during passage, Wall Street Journal adds.
The report adds that application traffic expanded after the Houthis declared a maritime embargo on Saudi ports and Saudi-linked shipping on Jul. 20, 2026, which was followed by reported strikes on tankers accused of violating the measure.
In one documented instance, the master of the Chinese container vessel Zhong Cheng Chang Ling (IMO: 1124310) certified that its owners, operators, and crew were Chinese nationals with no Western or Israeli ties, and affirmed adherence to the Saudi port restrictions, the probe adds.
The HOCC subsequently granted clearance, noting the vessel could safely navigate the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea. Following the exchange, the vessel updated its broadcast destination to "armed guard on board" and traversed the strait into the Indian Ocean without disruption.
Despite the adoption of the system by select carriers seeking risk mitigation, the arrangement carries sharp regulatory and legal risks.
The United States designates the Houthis as a foreign "terrorist" organization, and international maritime security bodies, flag administrations, and trade associations continue to advise vessels against registering with or communicating with the HOCC.
Maritime authorities said that the HOCC lacks legal standing under international maritime conventions, warning that correspondence with an armed non-state group risks breaching international sanctions frameworks.
Saudi Arabia rejected those allegations. In a public statement on social media platform X, Ambassador Dr. Rayed Krimly, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, dismissed the report's assertions regarding any official overtures: "I categorically deny the claims published by The Wall Street Journal regarding demands made by this militia," Krimly stated.
"All of this is pure fabrication by the writers or their alleged sources. These militias turned against the Yemeni government, caused famine among the Yemeni people, and dragged Yemen into conflicts and agendas that do not serve Yemen and its people"
I categorically deny the claims published by The Wall Street Journal regarding demands made by this militia. All of this is pure fabrication by the writers or their alleged sources. These militias turned against the Yemeni government, caused famine among the Yemeni people, and dragged Yemen into conflicts and agendas that do not serve Yemen and its people. They attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea waterways, civilian and economic targets, and rejected all peace efforts. We also remind the writers that Yemen has a recognized government.
— AMB Dr. Rayed Krimly (@Rayedkrimly) November 5, 2026
