Saudi Arabia Launches New Defence Alliance, Drawing Comparisons to NATO
Saudi Arabia has officially launched a multinational maritime defence coalition to secure shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The formation of the alliance comes amid rising tensions with the Houthi movement in Yemen, which threatens trade routes and Saudi oil exports.
According to RT, the Saudi Ministry of Defence stated on Thursday that 13 countries have completed procedures to formally join the coalition. Meanwhile, 15 countries have signed a joint statement regarding the establishment of the alliance.
Riyadh described the development as the official launch of the coalition and the beginning of its institutional and operational activation. Saudi Arabia will provide the first commander, while Pakistan is expected to appoint a deputy commander.
The coalition will focus on coordinating intelligence exchange, joint exercises, and maritime operations to protect commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The announcement comes amid a sharp escalation between Saudi-backed forces in Yemen and the Iran-allied Houthi movement, especially after roughly four years of relative calm.
Earlier this month, the Houthi group announced a coordinated attack using ballistic missiles and drones against military camps belonging to the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The group said it acted after detecting preparations for an attack on Houthi-controlled territory.
Yemeni government forces acknowledged casualties, while Reuters, citing government sources, reported at least 30 soldiers killed.
Tensions have been rising since July, when a dispute over direct flights between Houthi-controlled Sanaa and Tehran contributed to the breakdown of a long-standing ceasefire.
After Saudi-backed forces struck Sanaa airport on 13 July to prevent an Iranian plane from repatriating a Houthi delegation from Tehran, the group blamed Riyadh, declared the ceasefire over, and subsequently announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.
Since then, the Houthi group has claimed attacks on ships and oil infrastructure linked to Saudi Arabia, while the Saudi-led coalition has struck Houthi military sites in Yemen.
The confrontation poses a particular threat to Riyadh because the Red Sea has become an increasingly important outlet for Saudi oil amid the US-Iran conflict and severe disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Aramco has rerouted crude oil shipments away from Hormuz, instead using cross-country pipelines to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. Loading volumes there have averaged more than four million barrels per day since June, more than four times the level recorded in the same period last year, according to Reuters citing tanker tracking data.
Given that oil and petroleum products account for more than three-quarters of Saudi Arabia’s exports, prolonged disruption to Red Sea shipping could threaten a crucial alternative export route.
The activation of the coalition also comes amid reports that Riyadh is preparing for a potential broader confrontation with the Houthi movement.