Saudi Arabia Assembles Coalition to Secure Red Sea Shipping

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to form a naval coalition of about 15 countries to secure navigation in the Red Sea, amid rising tensions in the Bab el-Mandab Strait. The initiative comes after Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for several attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

The coalition aims to 'strengthen maritime security, protect freedom of navigation, and secure international trade routes' in the region, according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Defense. The group will consist of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, the internationally recognized government of Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia.

The coalition is 'purely defensive in nature and is not directed against any country,' according to the statement. The Bab el-Mandab Strait, located at the southern end of the Red Sea, is a crucial waterway for Saudi oil exports.