The Houthis recently said they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea in response to what they described as a Saudi siege of Yemen. (EPA Images pic)RIYADH : Saudi Arabia is seeking to build an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, two people familiar with the deliberations said on Wednesday. The Iran-aligned Houthis said on July 20 they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied. Since then, the Houthis said they have launched attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes on what it said were Houthi military facilities at Yemen’s Hodeidah port used to threaten commercial shipping.