The Houthis have begun to control ship traffic in the Red Sea, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports, citing sources. According to the publication, ship owners turn to the Houthis to make sure they have security guarantees. At the same time, the movement has not officially banned ships that are not connected to Israel, the US and the UK from passing through the Red Sea, WSJ notes. The Houthi movement (Houthis) established control of Yemen's west coast and landed on strategically important islands in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in early September. The maritime corridor serves as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked since February.