July 31 (UPI) -- Fourteen nations have backed the formation of a Saudi-led coalition to protect shipping routes from Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea, drawing more countries into the Iran-U.S. war.
The kingdom's defense ministry announced their support for the multinational defensive maritime alliance Thursday following a meeting in Riyadh attended by the defense ministers and representatives of 43 countries.
According to a statement, the alliance is aimed at "strengthening maritime security, protecting freedom of navigation, securing international trade routes and energy supply routes and safeguarding shared maritime interests in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden."
"The alliance is exclusively defensive in nature and does not target any state, alliance or international organization," it said.
The statement said participation in the alliance's activities and operations "will remain a sovereign decision" for each state, meaning any member country can opt out of specific missions.
