Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman traveled to Cairo on Tuesday to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The leaders urged free navigation in the Red Sea following Houthi strikes that seized key waterways, disrupted regional oil shipments, and strained trade routes relied upon by both nations.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman departed for Egypt on a state visit on September 15 to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The high-level talks in Cairo focus on regional security, Red Sea shipping routes, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait following a rapid escalation of fighting in Yemen.
The two leaders called for ensuring the freedom and security of maritime navigation through the Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab straits, according to the Egyptian presidency. President al-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s full support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect its security and stability. Saudi Arabia’s Arab News noted that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will meet with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, and the talks will address a variety of issues of mutual interest between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Red Sea Control and Strategic Choke Points
The diplomatic meetings follow a lightning offensive in which Yemen’s Houthis seized control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The waterway has become crucial for Saudi crude exports as the wider Middle East conflict chokes the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.
The revival of Yemen’s civil war, which had remained dormant since 2022, reignited in July when the Houthi movement declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting ships in the Red Sea. The conflict has internally displaced 100,000 people, according to the UN. Egypt’s Al-Ahram reported that the Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen’s civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.
Pipeline Shutdowns and Economic Pressure on Egypt
The security disruptions have directly impacted energy transit and national economies across the region. Saudi Arabia relies on the 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) East-West Pipeline to move its crude production from Gulf ports to ports on its western, Red Sea coast, from where it can be put on tankers for export. However, an attack that Saudi Arabia blamed on drones from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq forced the shutdown of the pipeline on Thursday, September 11.
Further west, Egypt is feeling the economic impact as Red Sea shipping serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal, upon which Cairo relies for crucial foreign revenue. Canal revenues are currently around half of what they were before the Houthis first started attacking Red Sea shipping in 2023, a campaign they said was in solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Military Escalation and Vowed Reponses
Riyadh has pledged to react firmly against the continuing attacks. A Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition confirmed that missile and drone attacks in three areas the previous day wounded 13 civilians, alongside alerts issued across multiple governorates including Mecca, Jeddah, Taif, Abha, Khamis Mushait, and Jazan.
“The Yemeni response will continue and escalate as long as they (Saudi Arabia) persist in their aggression against our people.”
Hazem al-Assad, Houthis’ leadership
The Saudi-led coalition stated it would deal with the attacks firmly to protect the sovereignty of the Kingdom, and would take all necessary operational measures to deter this hostile and extremist approach. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated late Tuesday that Saudi Arabia launched 52 airstrikes on Yemen over the past 24 hours, accusing it of targeting civilian sites, including schools and bridges.
International Diplomacy and Regional Standoffs
Amid the mounting military actions, international actors are responding to the maritime crisis. Qatar warned on Tuesday of dire consequences if Bab al-Mandab was closed, saying it would be catastrophic for the entire world. Meanwhile, a US military task force is working to enhance intelligence-sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces as they face attacks, a US official told AFP Tuesday. US Vice-President JD Vance stated that the Trump administration was closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation in Yemen. Vance stated that they have been engaged in direct conversations with the Houthis themselves, and added that they are going to keep on monitoring the situation.
По теме
