Saudi Arabia Seeks Multinational Naval Alliance Amid Escalating Attacks
Saudi Arabia is pushing for a multinational naval alliance to ensure safe navigation in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. The country's defense ministry has announced that several Gulf and Red Sea states have expressed support for the proposal, including Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and Yemen.
The initiative comes as attacks on ships and ports escalate in the Middle East. Last week, the US-owned liquefied natural gas floating storage regasification unit Energos Winter (IMO: 9256614) and Bermuda-flagged LNG carrier Gaslog Salem (IMO: 9638915) were targeted by an unclaimed drone attack at the port of Damietta in Egypt.
The European Union attended discussions on the proposal but did not join the alliance. The command structure, rules of engagement, funding, military assets, and deployment arrangements for the proposed security framework are still under discussion.