LONDON: The Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, an initiative involving 14 countries spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, held its first planners’ meeting on Wednesday to finalize its institutional framework and pave the way for more countries to join. Headed by Rear Adm. Abdullah bin Salem Alshehri, the coalition aims to bring an end to some three years of disruption to international shipping by safeguarding the freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Red Sea alliance signals a shift from U.S.-led security to regional burden-sharing, but its real test is whether it becomes operational

LONDON: The Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, an initiative involving 14 countries spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, held its first planners’ meeting on Wednesday to finalize…