Saudi Arabia forms 14-nation naval alliance

Saudi Arabia and 13 partner nations have established a defensive maritime coalition to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. The alliance, headquartered in Riyadh, aims to counter Houthi blockades and disruptions that have pushed oil prices near $90 a barrel. Founding members include Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia. The pact was finalized at a military conference attended by 43 nations and EU representatives.