Saudi Arabia is building an international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping lanes from Houthi attacks, according to sources familiar with the deliberations, as the Iran-backed group escalates its campaign against vessels in the strategic waterway.
The composition of the coalition has yet to be finalized and remains under discussion with dozens of countries, two sources told Reuters. The initiative comes as the Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and struck multiple Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea over the past week.
The proposed coalition would aim to secure the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the narrow chokepoint between Yemen and Djibouti through which an estimated 12% of global seaborne oil passes. The Houthis have threatened to turn the waterway into what they call a “gate of tears” for Saudi shipping.
Saudi Arabia has been dragged into a widening regional conflict it long sought to avoid. The kingdom has already joined the United States in joint airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq and has faced direct retaliation from Houthi forces firing missiles and drones at its critical infrastructure and commercial shipping.
The Houthi campaign against Red Sea shipping has dramatically escalated in recent days. On Tuesday, the group claimed a missile strike on a Saudi oil tanker, following similar attacks on at least four other vessels. British maritime security firm Ambrey reported a growing pattern of Houthi attacks targeting vessels with Saudi connections.
The threat to Red Sea shipping has already had a measurable impact on global trade. Data from maritime analytics firms shows a measurable slowdown in vessel traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb strait as shipping companies recalculate risk. Insurance premiums for vessels transiting the Red Sea have surged, adding costs to already strained global supply chains.
The Saudi coalition-building effort mirrors the multilateral approach the kingdom has taken in Yemen’s civil war, where it leads a coalition backing the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. However, the new initiative is specifically focused on maritime security rather than the broader Yemen conflict.
Any coalition would likely face significant challenges. The Houthis have demonstrated an ability to strike vessels with increasingly sophisticated drones and anti-ship missiles supplied by Iran. The group’s leadership has framed its attacks on Saudi shipping as part of the broader Iran-US confrontation, vowing to continue until the United States ends its military campaign against Iran.
The United States has its own naval presence in the region, including the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group patrolling the Red Sea. US forces have intercepted Houthi missiles and drones aimed at commercial vessels in previous weeks, but Washington’s focus remains on the Strait of Hormuz and the broader confrontation with Iran.
Oil markets are closely watching the developments. Brent crude prices have remained elevated above $95 per barrel as traders price in the risk of simultaneous disruptions at both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb strait. A sustained blockade at either chokepoint could disrupt millions of barrels of daily oil shipments.
The Saudi initiative underscores a growing recognition in Riyadh that the Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping will not dissipate quickly, even if the broader US-Iran conflict de-escalates. The group’s leadership has signaled ambitions to control commercial passage through the Bab al-Mandeb, raising the prospect of long-term disruption to one of the world’s most vital trade routes.