Turkey backs Saudi-led maritime defence coalition in Red Sea
Turkey confirmed on Thursday for the first time that it had joined efforts to establish a multinational maritime defence coalition aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
The announcement signals increased cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Ankara after the signing of a trilateral pact between the states and Pakistan in Mecca last week.
“At the invitation of Saudi Arabia, a technical meeting was held in Riyadh on 28 July to ensure freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, followed by a meeting of the chiefs of general staff on 30 July 2026,” the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said in a statement.
The ministry added that Turkey was participating in another coordination meeting on the establishment of the maritime defence coalition in Jeddah on Thursday.
“Work continues with the Saudi Arabian authorities to reduce tensions in the Gulf region and ensure the uninterrupted flow of international trade,” the statement said.
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Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defence pact last week committing the three countries to each other’s security, including collective security obligations.
Several Ankara-based sources who spoke to Middle East Eye said they believed the Red Sea coalition would be the first area in which the alliance between Turkey and Saudi Arabia would deepen.
Saudi Arabia announced last month that it had established a 13-country maritime alliance to safeguard security in the Red Sea.
The move followed the Houthis’ declaration on 20 July that they had imposed a maritime blockade on the kingdom, disrupting oil shipments diverted to the Red Sea following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The alliance reportedly includes Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Somalia and Yemen.
It will be headquartered in Riyadh.
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