CAIRO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on Saturday held a phone call to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions amid rising instability in the Red Sea.

Israeli and U.S. naval forces participate in a joint drill in the Red Sea on Feb. 1, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

The two ministers rejected any attempts to impede transit through international waterways and underscored the need to safeguard global maritime navigation, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

They called for an immediate cessation of all military operations, stressing that political and diplomatic solutions remain the only viable path to resolving the current crisis, the statement read.

The ministers also urged closer coordination and consultation among Arab nations to help preserve regional security and stability, it added.

Earlier Saturday, state-run Yemen TV reported that airstrikes struck Houthi military sites in northern Yemen as tensions further escalated following the group's attacks on Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.

The strikes targeted missile and rocket launch platforms and weapons depots in Marib and al-Jawf provinces, killing several Houthi members, including missile specialists, the broadcaster said.

Also on Saturday, Yemen's Houthi group said it carried out coordinated missile and drone strikes on Saudi energy facilities in Jizan and Yanbu regions in retaliation for overnight coalition airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah.