Saudi Arabia has announced a new multinational maritime defence alliance bringing together regional partners including Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia to help secure the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. The Riyadh-based coalition aims to protect commercial shipping and energy export routes following continued attacks on vessels, supporting the stability of a trade corridor that normally carries around 12 percent of global commerce.