Saudi Arabia seeks international coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthis, sources say

RIYADH, July 29 (Reuters) - 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 composition of the coalition has not yet been finalised and is being discussed with dozens of countries, the sources said.

The Saudi Center for International Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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.

The blockade has opened a new front against the United States and its allies in the wider Iran war, expanding attacks on tankers carrying energy and other supplies to waters beyond the Gulf and pushing oil prices higher.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari; Writing by Enas Alashray and Yasmine Ghania; Editing by Bill Berkrot)