Saudi Arabia forms maritime defence alliance to protect key waterways

Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries have formed a maritime military coalition, named the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, to protect navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. The coalition aims to enhance collective maritime defense and secure vital trade routes amid ongoing threats from Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen. While the alliance is purely defensive, its establishment comes during heightened tensions in the region, particularly related to the Strait of Hormuz.

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