According to foreign media reports on March 5, the Houthi organization in Yemen announced that ships must apply for a permit from the Maritime Administration controlled by the Houthi armed forces before entering Yemeni waters. Yemen's waters span the Bab el-Mandab Strait, one of the shipping industry's most important chokepoints.

According to the report, Houthi "Telecommunications Minister" Numer said on March 4: "(We) can now accept license applications and will notify the Yemeni Navy of the ships that have obtained the license. We do this to ensure the safety of the ships. ."

A potential environmental disaster is unfolding in nearby waters after the Rubymar sank over the weekend. The bulk carrier carrying 21,000 tons of fertilizer and fuel was hit by a Houthi missile on February 18 and sank on the night of March 1, local time.