RismadarVoice Reporters, July 31, 2026
Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries have announced the formation of a new multinational maritime defence alliance aimed at safeguarding navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden amid rising regional security threats.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said the Multinational Maritime Defence Alliance was established to strengthen collective maritime security and protect critical international trade and energy supply routes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.
According to the ministry, the coalition seeks to enhance cooperation among member states through intelligence sharing, operational coordination, joint military exercises and maritime security operations.
The alliance comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and increasing concerns over global energy supplies.
In recent months, the Bab al-Mandeb corridor has also witnessed repeated attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, raising fears over the security of one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
Saudi Arabia said representatives from 43 of the 51 invited countries attended the meeting that formally established the alliance. The European Union also participated through its delegation, although officials did not clarify how the new coalition would operate alongside the EU’s existing Red Sea naval mission, Aspides.
The alliance’s founding members include Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan and the Comoros.
Notably, the United Arab Emirates and Oman were absent from the list of signatories despite sharing similar regional security interests.
Saudi authorities said membership remains open to other countries willing to join after completing their domestic approval processes.
The ministry stressed that the alliance is defensive in nature and is not directed against any specific country.
“Maritime security is a shared responsibility, and cooperation among nations remains the cornerstone for addressing common and transnational maritime threats,” the ministry said.
While details of military contributions from member states were not disclosed, the coalition is expected to coordinate patrols, intelligence gathering and other security measures aimed at protecting commercial shipping.
Saudi Arabia will serve as the alliance’s founding member and host its headquarters, although the exact location has not yet been announced.
The initiative follows a maritime blockade imposed by Yemen’s Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia last week, disrupting oil shipments through the Red Sea.
Although Saudi Arabia has continued exporting most of its crude via the East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, vessels must still pass through the strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where Houthi-controlled territory gives the group the ability to target commercial shipping.
