Bangladesh, Aug. 8 -- Saudi Arabias decision to establish a multinational maritime defense coalition to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea may appear to be another response to Houthi attacks on international vessels. In reality, it represents something much larger: the emergence of a regional security architecture increasingly shaped by Middle Eastern powers themselves rather than external actors. Türkiyes decision to back the initiative is perhaps the clearest indication that this transformation is already underway.

Although Ankara has yet to formally join the coalition, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğans public endorsement carries considerable geopolitical weight. As the only NATO member supporting the Saudi-led initiati...