An Israeli official has called for an international coalition to confront Yemen's Houthis, warning that failure to form one could lead to chaos in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to Israel's public broadcaster Kan.
The call comes as Israel grows increasingly concerned over Houthi advances around Bab al-Mandab, while the Israeli military has advised the government against launching direct attacks on the group or placing Israel at the forefront of military action.
The unnamed official said that "an international coalition must be formed against the Houthis", adding that without one, "chaos could erupt in one of the world's most important vital shipping routes".
Israel believes there may be no alternative to forming an international coalition to act against the Houthis after the group announced its control of Bab al-Mandab last week, Kan reported.
Hundreds of ships pass through the strait each day between Asia, Africa and the Middle East, including vessels bound for Israel.
Houthi control of the strait could allow the group to disrupt shipping using relatively simple means such as missiles or explosive-laden boats, potentially closing the waterway without the need for coastal defence radar or missile systems.
Israel currently leans towards avoiding direct intervention in the Yemen conflict, Kan reported, while continuing to discuss the issue with regional partners led by the United States.
The Israeli military has separately recommended treating the Houthi threat as an international and regional concern rather than a confrontation led by Israel, according to Haaretz.
Senior Israeli security officials said the recommendation was made during closed discussions in recent days following the Houthi capture of the strategic port city of Mokha and other positions near Bab al-Mandab.
The Houthis have also seized Perim Island and the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea after hundreds of Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces reportedly withdrew.
The advances have given the Iran-aligned group an increasingly powerful position around Bab al-Mandab, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.
Israeli security officials reportedly see an international coalition as a means of keeping international attention focused on Iran over its support for the Houthis.
The approach would allow Israel to avoid taking the lead in another regional military confrontation while encouraging Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other states with interests in Red Sea shipping to take a greater role against the Houthis.
Israeli military officials reportedly assess that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are increasingly alarmed by the Houthi advances.
Egypt is particularly concerned about the economic consequences of further disruption to Red Sea shipping and traffic through the Suez Canal, while Israeli officials believe Saudi Arabia increasingly feels it lacks sufficient US support against renewed Houthi attacks.
Washington has so far resisted Saudi requests for direct US military intervention against the Houthis, according to Reuters, although the US continues to provide intelligence assistance to Riyadh.
The Houthis have meanwhile renewed attacks on Saudi territory, including strikes targeting Saudi Aramco facilities and King Khalid Air Base at Khamis Mushait.
Israel has itself repeatedly attacked Yemen since the outbreak of the Gaza war, carrying out strikes on Houthi-controlled ports, energy infrastructure and other sites that have caused civilian casualties.
The Houthis began targeting Israel and vessels they said were linked to it during Israel's war on Gaza, framing their Red Sea campaign as an attempt to impose a maritime blockade on Israel and force an end to the assault and siege of the Palestinian territory.
Despite Israel maintaining a relatively low public profile over the latest fighting, Haaretz reported that the military continues to prepare for a scenario in which Iran encourages the Houthis to intensify attacks on Israel amid escalating regional tensions.
Israeli security officials reportedly believe, however, that individual military strikes would not provide a long-term solution to the Houthi threat, which they view as deriving partly from the group's ability to disrupt maritime trade and expand the number of fronts confronting Israel.
The coalition call comes days after reports suggested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had offered Israeli participation with Saudi Arabia in a broader campaign against the Houthis.
The apparent caution within the military does not necessarily indicate opposition to action against the group, but suggests Israeli security officials favour a multinational campaign in which Israel would not assume the leading military role.