Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s leaders called on Tuesday for free navigation in the Red Sea, after Riyadh vowed a firm response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, who now control the southern entrance to the key waterway.
The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces since the country’s civil war reignited in July, when the group also declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.
In a lightning offensive last week, they seized control of the entirety of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which has become vital to Saudi crude exports as the wider Middle East war chokes the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
De facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday, where the two discussed the latest crisis.
They called for “ensuring the freedom and security of maritime navigation” through the Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, the Egyptian presidency said, adding that Sisi affirmed Egypt’s support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia “to protect its security and stability”.
The sudden revival of Yemen’s war, dormant since 2022, has left Riyadh rushing to respond. Last week, US media reported, the crown prince made a personal request to President Donald Trump for US intervention, but was turned down.
The Houthis have insisted that there is no threat to navigation in the Bab al-Mandab except for Saudi vessels, though any attacks in the waterway are likely to make it less attractive to shippers.
Saudi, Egypt demand open Red Sea, as Riyadh vows to hit back against Houthis
