Saudi Arabia forms Red Sea maritime defense coalition

On July 30, 2026, Saudi Arabia announced the formation of a multinational maritime defense coalition to secure navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. The initiative, unveiled at a Riyadh meeting attended by representatives from 43 countries and the European Union, aims to protect commercial shipping and energy supplies from threats, particularly from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, which declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20 and has claimed attacks on Saudi-linked vessels. Fourteen countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia—endorsed the coalition in a joint statement. Saudi Arabia will serve as the founding nation and host the coalition's headquarters. The alliance is described as purely defensive and open to additional members. The move follows recent Saudi air strikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen's Hodeidah province, escalating tensions that threaten a 2022 UN-brokered truce. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a critical chokepoint for global trade, and disruptions have contributed to rising crude oil prices toward $90 per barrel.