RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone calls with his Qatari and Egyptian counterparts to discuss regional developments and the safety of waterways in the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea.
During the calls with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, he stressed to preserve the security and stability of the region, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
📞 | Foreign Minister HH Prince @FaisalbinFarhan held phone calls with the Foreign Ministers of Qatar and Egypt. pic.twitter.com/tbKJh3BcLL
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) July 26, 2026
They reviewed the latest developments in the current situation, along with ways to continue supporting efforts aimed at reducing escalation and advancing diplomatic solutions to ensure the security and safety of waterways in the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea and preserve the security and stability of the region.
Saudi Arabia has consistently worked with regional and international partners to strengthen security and stability across the Middle East while supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve regional conflicts peacefully.
Coalition Joint Forces Command announces military response against Houthis
The Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen has vowed an “unrelenting, resolute response” if Yemen’s Houthi militia continues attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, accusing the group of threatening one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Also Read: Coalition Joint Forces Command Announces Military Response Against Houthis
In a statement issued on Saturday, Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki described the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping as a “reckless and cowardly act” and said they formed part of a long record of maritime terrorism.
“The terrorist Houthi militia has undertaken a reckless and cowardly act by targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea,” Al-Malki said.
He said Saudi Arabia would continue to stand alongside the Yemeni government and people in confronting the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia rejects Houthi blockade claims
Earlier on Turdsay, Saudi Arabia had dismissed Houthi claims of a blockade on Yemeni ports and airports as a deliberate disinformation campaign, telling the United Nations Security Council that the group’s attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea amount to maritime piracy and require a firm international response.
Addressing a Security Council debate on the peaceful settlement of disputes, Faisal Meshari T. Almadi, Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of the Security Council and Political Affairs Division at Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said the Houthis were spreading false narratives to mislead the international community.
Also Read: Saudi Arabia Rejects Houthi Blockade Claims, Calls Red Sea Attacks Maritime Piracy
He urged the UN and its member states to fully implement Security Council Resolution 2216 on Yemen and Resolution 2722, which reaffirms the right to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, warning that inaction would embolden further attacks and undermine international maritime security.
Describing Houthi attacks on merchant vessels as clear violations of international law, he said such actions amounted to maritime piracy and posed a direct threat to one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
He warned that allowing such attacks to continue without effective deterrence would encourage further aggression, weaken regional security and jeopardise the internationally recognised principle of freedom of navigation.
