Somalia Joins Saudi-Led Coalition Against Houthi Attacks

Somalia has joined a Saudi-led coalition to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, aligning itself with a bloc of nations racing to contain an escalation between Yemen's Iran-backed movement and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The move comes just weeks after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud cautioned Somaliland against entangling itself in the widening Houthi-Israel confrontation, warning that any such move would carry dire consequences for both the region and Somalia at large.

The coalition was formally announced by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense on Thursday, with 43 countries out of 51 invited participating in a gathering to advance the Kingdom's initiative. The aim is to stand up a multinational defensive maritime coalition against the Houthis, led and headquartered by Riyadh.

Among the 14 founding signatories are Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, and Djibouti. The group plans to finalize the charter, settle command structures, and build technical apparatus before formally launching operations in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden.

The stakes are high, with the Houthis claiming responsibility for multiple attacks on Saudi-linked vessels and disrupting global oil trade. Brent crude has surged past $100 a barrel for the first time since May, underscoring the strain the standoff is placing on markets.