Key facts
- Saudi Arabia announced a 14-nation maritime coalition to protect Red Sea shipping.
- The coalition aims to safeguard navigation and energy supply routes through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
- Yemen's Houthi movement leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi vowed 'full escalation' in response.
- Six Saudi oil tankers have rerouted around Africa to avoid the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- Saudi Arabia is rerouting crude oil exports to Egypt via the SUMED pipeline.
Saudi Arabia has announced the formation of a new multinational maritime defense coalition, comprising 14 countries including Pakistan and Egypt, aimed at protecting shipping routes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This move comes amid escalating tensions with Yemen's Houthi rebels, whose leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, vowed 'full escalation' in response to perceived Saudi aggression.
Al-Houthi stated that Saudi Arabia was heading towards 'full escalation' and that the Houthis would respond in kind. He also warned that Turkish-supplied aircraft to Saudi Arabia could be shot down over Yemen. He accused Saudi Arabia of deliberately maintaining Yemen's economic and political crisis since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015.
The newly formed coalition, which Saudi Arabia will lead, will host its permanent headquarters, joint command, and operational center. The coalition's objective is to safeguard freedom of navigation and energy supply routes.
Earlier, the Houthis had announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and claimed responsibility for an attack on a Saudi oil tanker. In response, Riyadh has conducted air strikes against Houthi military positions in Hodeidah. Separately, six empty Saudi oil tankers have turned away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and are heading south around Africa, a journey that adds at least two weeks to their route. Saudi Arabia is rerouting crude oil exports to Egypt via the SUMED pipeline to avoid the new threat.