Saudi Arabia seeks international coalition against Houthis in Red Sea - Al Jazeera

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported on July 29, 2026, that Saudi Arabia is trying to assemble an international coalition to help secure Red Sea shipping after attacks by Yemen’s Houthis widened to vessels linked to energy transport. People familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the lineup of countries has not been settled and that Riyadh is consulting dozens of governments.

The reported push follows a Houthi announcement on July 20 of what the group called a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis accused Riyadh of enforcing a long-running siege on Yemen and said they had struck Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has answered with air attacks on sites it described as Houthi military facilities at Yemen’s Hodeidah port, which it said were being used to endanger commercial shipping. Reuters said the Saudi Center for International Communication did not respond to a request for comment.

The developments matter because the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait are key routes for global trade and energy flows. Al Jazeera reported that rising tensions there are adding pressure to the global economy, already strained by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and that expanded tanker attacks have helped push oil prices higher.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also held calls with counterparts from Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, whose offices emphasized de-escalation and Gulf Cooperation Council coordination. Separately, Yemen’s internationally recognised government accused the Houthis of acting under Iranian direction to create a fee system for ships passing through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, an allegation the article did not show the Houthis answering.