Saudi Arabia hosts dozens of military chiefs of staff to discuss a new Saudi-led Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, says the kingdom’s defense ministry.
The meeting of 43 countries and the EU is reviewing a draft charter for the organization, aimed at confronting maritime threats in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
The gathering comes as Saudi Arabia is coming under regular attack from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia.
All countries “sharing its objectives and principles” can join, says the ministry.
Fourteen of the countries signed a joint statement backing the alliance: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
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Thursday, July 30, 2026
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