Saudi Arabia seeks international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthis, sources say

July 29, 2026 4:49 PM EDT

RIYADH, July 29 (Reuters) - ‌Saudi Arabia ​is ​seeking to build an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red ‌Sea from Houthi attacks, two people familiar ⁠with the deliberations said on Wednesday.

The composition of the ‌coalition has not yet ‌been finalised and is being discussed with dozens of countries, the sources said.

The Saudi Center ​for International Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Iran-aligned Houthis ⁠said on July 20 they would impose a naval blockade on ​Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea in response to what they described as ​a Saudi siege on ‌Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.

Since then, the Houthis said they have ⁠launched attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes on ⁠what it said were Houthi military facilities at Yemen's ​Hodeidah port used to threaten commercial shipping.

The blockade has opened a new front against the United States and ‌its allies in the wider Iran war, expanding attacks on tankers carrying ‌energy and other supplies to waters beyond the ⁠Gulf and pushing ‌oil prices higher.

(Reporting ​by Timour Azhari; Writing by Enas Alashray and Yasmine Ghania; Editing by Bill ‌Berkrot)



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