Saudi Arabia announces maritime defence alliance to secure vital waterways

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries announced a new maritime military coalition on Thursday to protect navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence described the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance as a mechanism for deeper collective maritime defence cooperation, focused on securing trade and energy routes along a corridor connecting the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean.

According to the report, representatives from 43 of 51 invited countries attended the founding meeting, along with a European Union delegation. The other signatories are understood to include Turkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan and the Comoros. Saudi Arabia is listed as a founding member and host of the alliance headquarters, though the ministry did not identify a specific site. The United Arab Emirates and Oman were not listed as signatories.

The Saudi statement said membership could expand after countries complete domestic procedures. It did not specify what military assets members would provide, but said cooperation would cover intelligence and information sharing, operational planning, joint exercises and maritime operations. The alliance was described as defensive and not directed at any state.

Al Jazeera places the announcement amid worsening regional maritime insecurity, including attacks along the Red Sea route by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen and wider tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. The Bab al-Mandeb is a key chokepoint for global trade and oil shipments, making instability there a risk for energy markets and international shipping.