Saudi Arabia launches maritime defence alliance

Saudi Arabia and 13 other nations announced a new maritime military coalition to protect freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden. The Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance aims to secure vital trade and energy routes amid escalating Iran-backed Houthi attacks and the US-Iran conflict that has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. The alliance is purely defensive and open to additional members.