Saudi Arabia Leads 14-Nation Maritime Defense Alliance to Protect Global Shipping Routes
The Saudi defense ministry announced that 14 countries have backed a kingdom-led proposal to establish a "Maritime Defense Alliance" to protect international shipping routes and global trade. The coalition, which includes nations such as Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Nigeria, aims to enhance maritime security and preserve the freedom of navigation through critical chokepoints like the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. This initiative comes as regional tensions escalate due to the US-Iran conflict. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US "threats" and "interference" cease. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have denied plans to impose fees on ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, clarifying that their "safe transit service" remains free of charge. The alliance serves as a strategic response to the growing risks posed by maritime infrastructure and global supply chains, with Saudi Arabia acting as the founding and leading country of the initiative.