UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has confirmed reports coming out of Yemen that the country's Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have been forcibly detaining commercial vessels at Ras Isa Port.
UKMTO said that a number of vessels have been denied permission to leave the port despite having UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen clearance.
These commands from local authorities have in some cases demanded that vessels proceed to berths alongside their anchorage. These directions are reported to have been issued under threat of violence, with at least one incident of warning shots being fired, and other vessels being boarded by armed personnel.
UKMTO said these reported incidents reinforce the threat to vessels visiting Houthi-controlled ports that they are likely to be held or restricted from safely departing.
The Houthis have also been conducting patrols using fast craft in the waters surrounding the port, Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at security consultancy the EOS Risk Group, confirmed via X.
The detentions at Ras Isa came less than two weeks after the US military struck the critical port in an attempt to disrupt the Houthis' fuel imports.