Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry on August 7 announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri as commander of the multinational naval defense alliance, just one week after the alliance was established.
According to the statement, Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval defense operations, coordinate with member states and other maritime alliances, and carry out tasks in accordance with the alliance's charter.
The multinational naval defense alliance was announced by 14 countries on July 30, including: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, and Yemen.
The Saudi statement added that several other countries are in the process of joining the alliance, with some having already signed the joint declaration and others preparing to sign both the declaration and the charter before becoming founding members.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry described the alliance as "an open international coalition that welcomes all countries sharing the same goals and principles," noting that it continues to accept new membership applications.
A planning meeting is scheduled for August 12–13 to finalize the institutional framework and facilitate the participation of additional countries.
The founding nations declared their goal to protect maritime freedom, ensure the safety of international trade routes, and secure energy supply lines through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden—a strategic maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.
The move comes amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict centered on the Strait of Hormuz, which before the crisis carried about 20% of globally shipped oil and gas. The near-closure of this route is placing significant pressure on the world economy.
