Whether or not the alliance expands to Egypt, it might prove adept at setting rules for the Gulf, the Red Sea and the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, taking crisis management out of the Americans' hands

The Mecca Accord brings together Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, raising questions for Delhi

Riyadh faces a dilemma: how to deter attacks and protect the ambitious economic vision it is pursuing without becoming entangled in a broader conflict in the region.