{"id":2637979,"date":"2026-07-30T17:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T21:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/saudi-arabia-unveils-14-nation-coalition-to-keep-bab-el-mandeb-strait-open\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T17:08:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T21:08:10","slug":"saudi-arabia-unveils-14-nation-coalition-to-keep-bab-el-mandeb-strait-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/saudi-arabia-unveils-14-nation-coalition-to-keep-bab-el-mandeb-strait-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia unveils 14-nation coalition to keep Bab el Mandeb Strait open"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsaudi-arabia-unveils-14-nation-coalition-to-keep-bab-el-mandeb-strait-open%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2637979&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Fourteen countries, led by Saudi Arabia, announced the formation of a naval coalition aimed at maintaining control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait amid Houthi harassment of shipping. The coalition includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, and the Yemeni government.most members have relatively modest navies, wiht only Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan possessing meaningful naval capabilities.Notably absent are the UAE and Oman, and only a subset of invited nations joined the coalition.<\/p>\n<p>While the coalition members are predominantly Muslim, thier naval strength varies, with some, like Sudan and Somalia, having limited vessel counts and capabilities. The U.S. attended the meeting but did not join the coalition, although it plans to support member nations.<\/p>\n<p>Saudi Arabia has recently intensified its military efforts following setbacks in Yemen, significantly increasing defense spending and modernizing its forces, including its navy. The country has restructured its military with new doctrines, joint commands, and increased funding, aiming to project power regionally.Despite these efforts, the Houthis have successfully evaded coalition efforts from 2023 to 2025, complicating regional security dynamics.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fourteen nations led by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"590\">Saudi Arabia<\/a> announced the creation of a naval coalition intended to keep the Bab el-Mandeb Strait open after the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/houthis\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"5106\">Houthis<\/a> began harassing shipping, they said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coalition\u2019s 14 founding members, announced on Thursday, are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4669748\/saudi-arabia-naval-coalition-bab-el-mandeb-strait\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Saudi Arabia announces 14-nation naval coalition to keep Bab el Mandeb Strait open<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4668290\/joint-operation-us-saudi-arabia-reform-barrage-iran-third-largest-arms-importer\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Joint operation with US opens Saudi Arabia to barrage from Iran and its proxies<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4667554\/berlin-queer-commissioner-islamic-attack-pride-parade-conservative-violence\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Berlin\u2019s \u2018queer commissioner\u2019 condemns Islamic attack on Pride parade as \u2018conservative\u2019 violence<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the exception of Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan, the collection of countries is notable for not having the most revered of navies. Somalia remains a largely failed state with no control over most of its claimed territory, and Sudan is largely occupied in a civil war currently locked in a stalemate. Every member of the coalition was almost entirely Muslim, with the exception of Nigeria, which has a population split between Islam and Christianity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Global Firepower Ranking <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globalfirepower.com\/navy-ships.php\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.globalfirepower.com\/navy-ships.php\">index<\/a>, Sudan comes in 100th place in terms of number of vessels, out of 114 countries that possess actual monitored navies, making it the least valuable of the coalition. Somalia comes in 85th, Yemen in 74th, Jordan in 71st, Saudi Arabia in 67th, and Bahrain in 50th. Djibouti\u2019s fleet is too small to even register. The countries also vary significantly in vessel quality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan may have the ability to make up for the deficit; however, with each possessing massive and modern navies, especially Turkey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More notable are the absences: Only 14 of the 43 countries invited to the meeting in Riyadh joined the coalition. Even more notable were the absences of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, Gulf countries that have previously been closely involved in Yemeni affairs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The United States attended the Thursday meeting and will provide support through its military partnerships with most members, but didn\u2019t join.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saudi Arabia\u2019s path to direct combat against the Houthis after four years of a frozen conflict began earlier this month, when the Saudi Air Force bombed Sanaa Airport on July 13 to stop a Houthi delegation returning from former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei\u2019s funeral. The Houthis soon retaliated with a ballistic missile strike targeting Saudi Arabia\u2019s Abha International Airport, then declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia. The group began attacking shipping in the Red Sea shortly after, and launched attacks on Saudi Arabia\u2019s oil infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Riyadh has undergone a complete overhaul of its military after its disastrous performance in the Yemeni Civil War, including the creation of a joint staff, a joint operations command, a new doctrine, a national defense strategy, and a human resource management program, all hallmarks of effective modern militaries that were entirely absent from the Saudi armed forces previously.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The biggest change has been the kingdom\u2019s increase in military funding, becoming the fifth-biggest defense spender in 2025, and the third-largest arms importer. In terms of GDP percentage spent on the military, it is surpassed only by Ukraine. Its defense budget went from $64 billion in 2016 to $80 billion in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4668290\/joint-operation-us-saudi-arabia-reform-barrage-iran-third-largest-arms-importer\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4668290\">JOINT OPERATION WITH US OPENS SAUDI ARABIA TO BARRAGE FROM IRAN AND ITS PROXIES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though most of the focus in reforms and expansion was on the air and ground forces, the navy has also been affected. Though much smaller than other regional navies, the kingdom\u2019s vessels are mostly modernized and can outperform many regional competitors.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Houthis were able to evade defeat from a coalition of some of the most capable modern navies from 2023 to 2025, including the U.S., setting up a daunting task for Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saudi-led 14-nation navy to secure Bab el-Mandeb Strait<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2637980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FEA.Houthis3.061125.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[83460,32404,38830,32726,34933],"class_list":["post-2637979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-bab-el-mandeb","tag-geopolitics","tag-maritime-security","tag-middle-east","tag-saudi-arabia"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FEA.Houthis3.061125.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2637979"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2637982,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2637979\/revisions\/2637982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2637980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2637979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2637979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2637979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}