Saudi Arabia appoints rear admiral to lead new multinational maritime defence coalition

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry disclosed that Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri has been appointed commander of a newly established multinational maritime defence coalition. The coalition, announced on July 30 by fourteen states—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye and Yemen—aims to protect freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a key link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

The Saudi statement said the group remains open to additional members that align with its principles and that several nations are finalising accession procedures. Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval defence, coordinate with member navies and other maritime coalitions, and execute missions under the coalition’s charter. A planning session scheduled for August 12-13 will flesh out the institutional framework and facilitate further expansion. The move comes as tensions over nearby shipping lanes, notably the Strait of Hormuz, affect global oil and gas flows.