Beijing-Sanaa contacts to coordinate Bab al-Mandab navigation amid US concerns over growing alliances

WASHINGTON, July 29 (YPA) – The United States has expressed concern over growing international alliances in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, coinciding with the continuation of Sanaa’s operations against Saudi maritime traffic.

US media outlets quoted sources as saying that authorities in Sanaa have permitted Chinese, Russian, and Iran-linked vessels to transit the waterway in recent days, raising fears in Washington over a strengthening four-power alliance in the maritime domain.

These concerns come as Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources, that China has initiated new contacts with those whom it described as “Houthis” (Ansarallah) to coordinate the passage of its vessels through Bab al-Mandab and the southern Red Sea.

The diplomatic move follows the implementation of a ban on Saudi shipping last week, accompanied by several naval and land strikes and the turning back of dozens of vessels attempting to bypass the restriction over the past two weeks.

YPA