Excerpted from and linked to Fox News.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced Thursday that 14 countries have reaffirmed their support for the creation of a “multinational defense maritime coalition” aimed at protecting against threats in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab-el-Mandeb strait. It identified the countries as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia. The coalition would protect shipping from Houthi attacks, sources told Reuters on Wednesday. The Ministry of Defense said it hosted a meeting Thursday with representatives from 43 nations, “reflecting growing international interest in reinforcing maritime defense cooperation.” “Participants discussed the increasing threats targeting maritime security -- including attacks on commercial vessels, energy tankers, and maritime infrastructure -- and the risks they pose to the safety of maritime navigation and the stability of global supply chains. ...
