RIYADH (AA): Saudi Arabia and 13 other countries announced the creation on Thursday of a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at safeguarding freedom of navigation, international trade and energy supply routes in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It also called for strengthening cooperation in maritime security, intelligence and information sharing, operational planning, joint exercises, exchange of lessons learned, training, capacity building and joint maritime operations in accordance with the coalition’s charter. The Saudi Defense Ministry said Thursday’s meeting addressed the growing threats to maritime security, including the security of commercial vessels, oil tankers, and maritime infrastructure. “This aims to establish an effective institutional framework for cooperation in confronting shared maritime threats in areas including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden,” it added. Riyadh has vowed to protect maritime traffic and respond to threats against international navigation.