Saudi Arabia seeks international coalition against Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.

Riyadh is looking for allies to secure shipping lanes in the Red Sea now that attacks on energy tankers are growing. These strikes are driving oil prices up. People familiar with the talks told Reuters that Saudi Arabia wants an international coalition to stop Yemen's Houthis from striking ships. The exact makeup of this group has not been decided yet. Dozens of countries are under discussion as sources confirmed.

Tensions in the Red Sea are getting worse while the global economy struggles with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. On July 20, the Houthis declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. They blamed its leaders for an unjust and oppressive siege on Yemen that lasted nearly twelve years. Their complaint included plundering resources and imposing a comprehensive blockade. Since then, they have hit Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia fired air strikes at what it called Houthi military facilities at Yemen's Hodeidah port. These sites were used to threaten commercial shipping. The Saudi Center for International Communication did not respond when Reuters asked for comment. This blockade has opened a new front against the United States and its allies in the wider US-Israel war on Iran. It is expanding attacks on tankers carrying energy and other supplies into waters beyond the Gulf, which pushes oil prices higher.

Gulf states have tried to avoid this expansion throughout the US-Iran conflict. They do not believe it is their war to fight. Victoria Gatenby from Al Jazeera noted that these nations repeatedly said they don't want to get dragged into it. Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud received phone calls from counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Diplomats at the time stressed the importance of continuing efforts to de-escalate tensions. They also condemned attacks by Iran and its affiliated militias in Iraq and Yemen.

Officials emphasized continued coordination and stronger joint action through the Gulf Cooperation Council. In Yemen, a minister from the internationally recognised government accused Houthi rebels of working under Iranian guidance. They are trying to establish a system to impose fees for ships transiting the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani described this move as a dangerous escalation aimed at transforming one of the world's most strategic maritime corridors into a permanent source of funding for the militia's military and terrorist activities.