Saudi Arabia Leads Naval Coalition to Secure Red Sea Shipping

The Red Sea has become a critical point of contention in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia leading a new naval coalition to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

The coalition, which includes 13 countries and is headquartered in Riyadh, aims to coordinate maritime security operations in response to the Houthi attacks. The alliance comes after the Houthis announced a maritime blockade on July 20, 2026, targeting vessels on the Red Sea route, including the tanker NCC Ghazal.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most important maritime trade corridors, with around 30% of global seaborne trade passing through it. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical passage for oil shipments between the Gulf and Europe, has seen vessel movements fall to record lows due to recent attacks.

The Houthi movement is backed by Iran, although both Tehran and the Houthis have said the movement acts independently. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman has stated that his country opposes a broader regional conflict, but remains prepared to respond to security threats.