Houthis say Bab al-Mandab Strait shipping near normal despite fighting

Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday that international shipping through the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait remained near normal even as intense ground fighting raged along its shores.



In a statement released through Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, the group said 73 international vessels, including container ships and other commercial vessels, crossed the strait over the previous 48 hours.



It said 36 vessels transited the waterway on Thursday and 37 on Friday, equivalent to 98.6 percent of the average daily traffic recorded before the Houthis imposed a ban on Saudi vessels on July 20.