A minister in Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused Houthi rebels of working under Iranian guidance to establish a system to impose fees for ships transiting the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, AFP reports.

Information minister Moammar al-Eryani describes “the move as a dangerous escalation aimed at transforming one of the world’s most strategic maritime corridors into a permanent source of funding for the militia’s military and terrorist activities”.

Eryani says the assessment has been provided by recently obtained “confirmed intelligence” allegedly indicating that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are helping manage the effort.

“The intelligence indicates that IRGC experts and advisers are directly involved in designing the technical and administrative framework of the project,” the minister adds in comments exclusive to AFP.

He notes that this includes “the establishment of a dedicated entity responsible for collecting payments from shipping companies and commercial vessels”.