Yemen

Saudi Arabia Seeks International Coalition Against Houthis in Red Sea

Are the Houthis exploiting humanitarian cover to extract concessions from Saudi Arabia or are they legitimate actors defending their sovereignty?

Published JUL 30

Saudi Arabia Seeks International Coalition Against Houthis in Red Sea

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Above: Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon in Sanaa, April 6, 2026. Image credit: Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The Houthis are running a coordinated scheme to turn the Bab al-Mandeb into a toll road for global shipping, with IRGC advisers on the ground designing the fee structure — the same playbook Iran used to choke the Strait of Hormuz. Letting this stand means handing two militant actors permanent leverage over world energy markets and international trade. The Red Sea cannot become another Hormuz, and Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are right to push back hard before that reality sets in.

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Establishment-critical narrative

The claim that the Red Sea is becoming "another Hormuz" exaggerates Iran's control over the Houthis while downplaying the failures of years of Saudi-led military intervention. Riyadh shifted toward diplomacy because the war proved unwinnable, not because the Houthis disappeared. Renewed escalation in the name of maritime security risks derailing negotiations, drawing Saudi Arabia back into an open-ended conflict and further destabilizing Yemen without delivering lasting security.

NDTV Responsible Statecraft Tehran Times