Story thread · 13 reports / 13 sources

Maritime alliance

dawn.com · 10dShare

AS the US-Iran war drags on, new battle lines are being drawn. The pro-US Gulf Arab monarchies and Iran have enjoyed a chequered history, specifically after the latter’s Islamic Revolution of 1979. But now, in the midst of the current conflict, the Arabs and Iranians are moving dangerously close to direct confrontation. One manifestation of this is the new maritime defence coalition that Saudi Arabia has just announced. At least 14 countries, among them Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye, have signed a joint statement supporting the coalition that seeks to “strengthen maritime security” in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The development comes after the pro-Iran Yemeni Houthi militia announced a blockade of Saudi ports last month. Many saw the Houthi move as an Iranian pressure tactic to complement the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While Tehran’s decision-makers may have sought to hurt the US and its allies with these closures, the truth is that they were affecting t

First report: Riyadh seeks 50-nation coalition to protect Red Sea shipping — tass.com, 12d