Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], July 31 (ANI): Saudi Arabia and 13 other nations have agreed to set up a defensive naval alliance to protect commercial vessels navigating critical chokepoints, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, the Saudi Ministry of Defence announced on Thursday.

The development comes amid persistent maritime disruptions caused by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia carrying out a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. Combined with ongoing transit bottlenecks stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, these security threats have amplified global energy security fears, elevating crude oil prices towards USD 90 per barrel.

The Saudi Ministry of Defence listed the coalition's founding member states as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.

The pact was formalised at a military conference held in Riyadh, which brought together defence chiefs and delegates from 43 nations, alongside representatives from the European Union. Participating officials evaluated the proposed foundational charter in hybrid sessions conducted both in person and via video conference, according to the ministry.

Saudi Arabia is slated to function as the founding nation and establish the central headquarters on its territory. The proposed organisational framework integrates a joint command structure, an operational control hub, and a general secretariat dedicated to harmonising coalition efforts.

Furthermore, the Saudi Ministry of Defence stated that additional countries can join the security bloc after completing their respective domestic approval processes.

Categorising the partnership as a 'purely defensive initiative', defence authorities stressed that the bloc is not targeting any particular state or entity, reassuring that all measures will strictly adhere to international legal protocols while respecting the sovereignty of every member nation. (ANI)