Houthis Reiterate Support for Iran and Consider Red Sea Shipping Toll

The Houthis have reiterated their support for Iran following a U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran that began on February 28, 2026. Houthi leader Abdulmalik al Houthi made the statement in an April 21, 2026, speech, also emphasizing opposition to Israel and the United States.

He said, “We are confronting the Israeli-Zionist enemy and its American partner. This action occurred a month after the start of the campaign against Iran. The United States and Israel conducted airstrikes against the Houthis in 2025, but did not respond strongly to the March launches.

An unclaimed drone strike hit a Houthi military site on April 19, 2026, about 50 miles from the Gulf of Aden. The site was used for storing weapons and launching attacks on Red Sea ships, according to reports. Local media attributed the drone to the United States, though this has not been confirmed.

The Houthis are considering a toll on vessels transiting the Red Sea, as reported by Lloyd’s List. This follows Iran's implementation of a similar toll in the Strait of Hormuz, with payments up to $2 million per ship. A United Nations Panel of Experts report from October 2024 stated that the Houthis earned about $180 million per month from transit fees, totaling over $2 billion annually.

The Houthis denied charging these fees. On April 24, 2026, the Houthis organized rallies expressing support for unity with groups in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen hosted meetings in Amman, Jordan, on April 19 and 20, 2026, with representatives from the Houthis, the Yemeni government, and the Saudi-led coalition. These meetings were under the Military Coordination Committee to support the UN-led peace process.

The United Nations is working to secure the release of its detained staff in Houthi-controlled areas. In an April 14, 2026, briefing to the UN Security Council, the envoy reported that 73 UN colleagues are detained, with some held incommunicado. Houthi actions against UN personnel led to the closure of UN programs in their territory during 2025 and 2026.