Bangladesh and 13 other nations have officially endorsed a proposal presented by Saudi Arabia to establish a multinational maritime defense coalition. The coalition aims to secure international shipping corridors and critical energy supply routes in the Red Sea following escalated attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the founding signatories of the declaration include Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.
Among the six Gulf Arab states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have not yet signed the founding statement. However, Washington—a key ally of Riyadh—is expected to join the alliance.
According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia convened a high-level meeting on Thursday with representatives from 43 countries and the European Union to address Houthi threats, leading to the formal agreement to create the Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition.
Primary Objective: Safeguard freedom of navigation and guarantee the security of global energy supply lines across the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
Command & Headquarters: Saudi Arabia will lead the coalition and host its permanent headquarters, joint command, and operational center.
Expansion: The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that the coalition remains open for other nations to join in the future.
On July 20, Houthi rebels announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, subsequently executing a series of attacks on Saudi-linked vessels. In response, Saudi forces launched targeted airstrikes on Houthi military installations in Hodeidah, Yemen, which were reportedly used to threaten commercial shipping.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait serves as one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global maritime trade and crude transportation. As the Red Sea emerges as a focal front in the broader US-Israel-Iran regional conflict, heightened maritime vulnerability has driven international oil prices upward.
Saudi-US Emergency Talks: According to Al Jazeera, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held urgent consultations with high-ranking US officials in Washington.
Riyadh’s Official Stance: Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia strongly opposes any further escalation of the regional war. However, officials emphasized that the Kingdom remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and possesses the independent capability to manage the Houthi threat in Yemen.
