Riyadh, 31 July (H.S.): Saudi Arabia is preparing to establish an international maritime coalition to safeguard commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The initiative aims to protect maritime traffic from attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial vessels.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Defence, 14 countries have so far expressed support for the proposal. These include Türkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, among others. Saudi Arabia has reportedly invited nearly 50 countries to join the proposed coalition.

Saudi officials said the Red Sea is a strategically vital maritime corridor for global trade and energy supplies. They noted that the growing security challenges in the region could significantly disrupt international shipping and global supply chains.

Regional tensions have escalated in recent months following a series of attacks by Houthi rebels targeting vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia's initiative is being viewed as an effort to strengthen maritime security and ensure the uninterrupted safety of one of the world's most critical commercial shipping routes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar