London insurers widen zone in Red Sea as high risk, exempt Egyptian waters
The British marine insurance market has widened the area in the Red Sea it deems as high risk following recent attacks on ships by Yemen’s Houthis, according to a July 29 advisory.
The London marine insurers excluded Egyptian waters from their high-risk areas.
Guidance from the Joint War Committee, which is made up of syndicate members from the Lloyd’s Market Association and representatives from the London insurance company market, is closely watched and influences underwriters’ considerations of insurance premiums.
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Kuwait’s army chief of staff meets Saudi-led coalition on Bab al-Mandeb navigation
Kuwait’s chief of staff, General Khaled al-Shuraian, met defense officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss preserving freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Kuwait’s state news agency reported.
The meeting comes as Saudi Arabia moves to formalize a new multinational “maritime defense coalition” — to be based in Riyadh — aimed at protecting Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks.
As many as 50 countries have reportedly been invited to join, including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt and Pakistan, with Washington’s participation seen as key to the initiative’s credibility.
The push follows the Houthis’ July 20 declaration of a “maritime blockade” on Saudi Arabia and subsequent missile and drone attacks on Saudi tankers, which have forced the kingdom to reroute more oil exports through the Red Sea via Yanbu, now partly under Houthi pressure, after the earlier closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
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Pakistani, Saudi FMs discuss Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has spoken with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The two discussed the latest developments in the region, including the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Houthis imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20 that disrupted oil shipments diverted to the Red Sea following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Reports also indicate they may charge tolls in the Bab al-Mandeb.
Both ministers welcomed a proposal from Jordan for Arab and Islamic countries to convene over Palestine and the occupied West Bank, the ministry added.
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Fourteen states issue joint statement backing Saudi-led maritime defense coalition
Fourteen states, including Turkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti, have issued a joint statement supporting the proposed multinational maritime defense coalition, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says.
The statement — also signed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Somalia — welcomed progress on the coalition’s founding arrangements. Other participating states expressed support but are still completing domestic procedures to formally join, with the door left open for further signatories.
The announcement followed a Defense Ministry-hosted meeting of military chiefs of staff and representatives from allied nations, along with the EU delegation to the kingdom, to advance Riyadh’s initiative. The meeting drew chiefs of staff or representatives from 43 countries, plus the EU delegation, out of 51 invited — attending either in person or virtually.
The push comes amid an escalating Red Sea shipping crisis: the Houthis declared a “maritime blockade” on Saudi Arabia on July 20 and have since struck Saudi tankers, forcing Riyadh to reroute oil exports through Red Sea ports after the earlier closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
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