Saudi Arabia and the UK have launched a new partnership to strengthen the Yemeni coastguard against Houthi naval attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Axar.az, citing JP, reports that the initiative, announced at the Yemen Maritime Security Partnership Conference in Riyadh on September 16, 2025, secured funding pledges from 35 countries, with Saudi Arabia committing $4 million.

Other contributors include the US, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Gulf states.

The program aims to boost maritime security, safeguard international trade routes, and counter terrorism, piracy, and smuggling. Yemeni officials praised the effort as a strategic step for national security and economic stability, with a particular focus on training, the inclusion of female personnel, and long-term stability.