Saudi Arabia seeks international coalition against Houthis in Red Sea

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and people familiar with the discussions, reported on July 29, 2026, that Saudi Arabia is trying to assemble an international coalition to help secure Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. The proposed group’s membership has not been settled, and talks are under way with dozens of countries, according to the report.

The move comes after the Houthis announced on July 20 what they called a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, accusing Riyadh of years of siege and resource exploitation in Yemen. Since that announcement, the group has said it targeted Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has answered with air attacks on sites it described as Houthi military facilities at Hodeidah port that were being used to endanger commercial traffic. Al Jazeera said the Saudi Center for International Communication did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The Red Sea tensions add pressure to global trade and energy markets, with the article noting that attacks on tankers carrying fuel and other supplies have widened beyond the Gulf and contributed to higher oil prices. The situation is unfolding alongside the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the broader US-Israel war on Iran, increasing fears that Gulf states could be pulled deeper into a regional conflict.

Al Jazeera also reported that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke by phone with counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, whose governments called for de-escalation while condemning attacks by Iran and allied militias. Yemen’s internationally recognised government separately accused the Houthis of seeking to charge ships passing through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, a key maritime chokepoint.