Saudi Arabia Forms Defensive Alliances Amid Rising Regional Tensions

Saudi Arabia is forming regional defensive alliances to deter attacks from Iran and its allies in the region. The kingdom's military responses have been limited, and it faces a dilemma on how to protect its economic vision without becoming entangled in a broader conflict.

The US launched a war against Iran on February 28, and since then, Saudi Arabia has tried to absorb attacks. It reached a tentative calm with Iran around the time an April ceasefire with the US went into effect.

However, recent weeks have jeopardised this calm, with damaging attacks on critical oil infrastructure from Yemen and Iraq, as well as on its shipping via the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia and the US launched joint airstrikes targeting Iraqi militias involved in the attacks on the kingdom.

The kingdom has announced its intention to lead a maritime defence coalition in the Red Sea and signed a joint defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan in Mecca, which some analysts see as trial balloons for joint military action. The roles of each party in this agreement are unclear, but it is seen as a step towards deterring attacks from Iran and its allies.