Saudi Arabia & 13 Other Countries Announce Maritime Defence Alliance

Saudi Arabia, along with 13 other nations, announced the formation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance on 30 July 2026 to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

Objectives of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance

The alliance is framed as a defensive coalition to protect trade and energy routes, with plans for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and joint maritime exercises. It has stated it targets no specific state.

Member Nations & Non-Signatories in the Red Sea Coalition

1. 14 Signatory Countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Türkiye, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan, Comoros.
2. Key Non-Signatories / Observers: UAE, Oman, and the European Union (EU Aspides mission).

Geographic Coverage of Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance

The alliance covers a corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, just 29 km wide at its narrowest, bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, and Houthi-controlled western Yemen.

Strategic Importance of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait & Red Sea Routes

1. Economic Impact: Roughly 10–12 percent of global maritime trade, including large oil volumes, transits Bab al-Mandeb, making disruptions here a risk to global energy prices.
2. Geopolitical Dynamics: The alliance emerges amid the US-Iran conflict, Strait of Hormuz closures, and repeated Houthi attacks on shipping, highlighting shifting regional security alignments.