Key facts
- The Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition (MMDC) has reached initial operational capability.
- Protection of international waterways is an international responsibility, according to MMDC Commander Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem al-Shehri.
- Any threat to international maritime security will be deterred, al-Shehri warned.
- The MMDC is a 14-country military alliance formed in July.
- The coalition's area of concern includes the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Red Sea.
Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem al-Shehri, commander of the Multinational Maritime Defence Coalition (MMDC), stated that the protection of international waterways is a collective responsibility and warned that any threat to maritime security would be met with deterrence. His remarks followed the conclusion of the coalition's fourth planning meeting in Jeddah on Friday.