Saudi scrambles to solve ‘humiliating dilemma’ after US rejects Red Sea intervention

Saudi Arabia is facing a "humiliating dilemma" after the United States refused to militarily intervene to prevent the Iran-aligned Houthi militia from tightening its blockade of the kingdom's key backup maritime trade route with Asia. The US stance has "deeply disturbed" Saudi leadership, as it contrasts sharply with the suspension of Saudi oil exports from the Red Sea following drone strikes by Iranian-allied Iraqi militias.

With US military support not forthcoming, Riyadh is now working to build a multinational coalition of regional and Western states to protect shipping in the Red Sea and defend the kingdom against Houthi drones and ballistic missiles. Analysts are not optimistic about Saudi Arabia's chances of wriggling out of the straitjacket being forced on it, as Iran and the Houthis are using the same playbook against the kingdom by disrupting flows of oil and other goods.

Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.