Saudi Arabia has proposed a “maritime defence coalition” involving dozens of countries to protect Red Sea trade routes from attacks by Iran's allies.
A first meeting of military representatives took place in Riyadh on Thursday, with 43 nations taking part to discuss the idea, the Saudi Defence Ministry said.
The ministry said the aim of the Saudi initiative is to “enhance maritime security, protect international maritime corridors, and counter threats targeting maritime navigation and global trade”. Saudi Arabia would host the headquarters of the new alliance.
A joint statement identified the corridors in question as the Bab Al Mandeb strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, key trade routes which run along the shores of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
The Red Sea has taken on extra significance during the Iran war as an alternative route for oil exports to the Strait of Hormuz. But that lifeline has itself come under threat due to attacks by the Houthis, who announced a “blockade” of Saudi shipping last week.
At least one Saudi-owned tanker has been attacked, while other vessels have turned around or opted for a longer, costlier route via the Suez Canal. It comes with the oil trade already under pressure from the months-long war. The price of Brent crude last week passed $100 for the first time since May.
Saudi Arabia's Red Sea terminal at Yanbu has become a vital artery for oil since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts have told The National that the kingdom "cannot afford to let this blockade stand". An existing Saudi-led coalition in Yemen carried out strikes against the port of Hodeidah last week in what it called a "proportionate military response".
The announcement of the blockade was preceded by similar tit-for-tat attacks. Saudi Arabia came under a missile attack by the Houthis last week hours after an explosion at a rebel-held airport in Sanaa.
The Iran-backed Houthis took over Sanaa in 2014, prompting intervention by a Saudi-led coalition the following year, at the request of the Yemeni government.
The Houthi move has also been seen as opening a new front on behalf of the rebels' patron Iran, as the war widens to new fronts. Egypt was yesterday investigating a drone strike that damaged two vessels at a Mediterranean port and raised fears of a further escalation.
The unexplained drone collision came as one person was killed in Kuwait and five missiles intercepted in Jordan, in the latest exchange of fire between the US and Iran.
This is a developing story
