At the narrow passage where global commerce threads between continents, Yemen's Houthi movement has denied reports that it intends to charge ships for safe transit through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait — a denial that arrives against a backdrop of blockades, informal fees, and a freshly formed 14-nation coalition determined to keep those waters open. The denial contradicts regional sources who told Reuters that fee proposals were raised during Houthi talks in Tehran last month, echoing Iran's own toll ambitions at the Strait of Hormuz. Whether the statement reflects genuine policy or strategic defl