Saudi Arabia has joined a US-led move to secure sea lines vital to oil shipping in the Middle East after attacks on Saudi Aramco’s oil facilities.
The areas the coalition will secure includes the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical waterway for oil supplies, the Strait of Bab al-Mandab, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Attacks on ships and tankers in the region have been laid at the feet of Iran, according to global news outlets.
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Iran and the US have seen a rise in tensions in recent months, with the US creating a ‘coalition of allies’ to protect ships from further attacks.
With oil at the centre of the global economy and about 40% of the world’s seaborne oil heading through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. and U.K. have stepped up their military presence in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, with Iran to its north and the United Arab Emirates and Oman to the south.
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