SANAA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group on Saturday denied reports that it planned to impose fees on commercial vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, saying passage through the strategic waterway remains free of charge.

In a press statement, the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) said no decision had been made or was under consideration to introduce transit fees.

The center said its "Safe Passage" service was voluntary and free, offering vessels not targeted by the group's declared maritime embargo advance confirmation that they could navigate safely through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.

It added that shipping companies seeking such assurances could register with the center, while stressing that vessels outside its embargo could transit without registration.

The HOCC also warned shipping companies against paying money or providing information to unauthorized individuals or entities claiming to act on its behalf.

"Any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not represent" the center, it said.

The statement comes as concerns over maritime security in the region have intensified following the Houthis' announcement on July 20 of a ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, which the group described as a response to an alleged Saudi blockade on areas under its control in Yemen.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait acts as a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Gulf of Aden to the southern end of the Red Sea, forming an indispensable artery for global energy shipments and international trade moving to and from the Suez Canal.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. ■