Egypt, Saudi Arabia Deepen Cooperation on Red Sea Security Amid Houthi Threat

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo this week, amid rising tensions over Red Sea security. The meeting comes after Houthi rebels seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast, gaining significant power over the Bab al-Mandeb strait and threatening international shipping.

Analysts say Riyadh is seeking Egypt's help to protect the kingdom and its oil infrastructure from Iranian-backed groups. With the Suez Canal's revenue dependent on Red Sea traffic, Cairo has a strong interest in maintaining security in the region.

Egyptian Senator Abdel Monem Said said the meeting had multiple dimensions, including political, economic, strategic, and military. He emphasized the need for joint thinking between Egypt and Saudi Arabia to counter Iranian proxies and prevent them from controlling the Red Sea.

Andreas Krieg, a King's College London lecturer, noted that Cairo now sees one continuous security space stretching from the Suez Canal to Bab al-Mandeb. If the southern gateway becomes unreliable, he said, Egypt stands to lose shipping, hard currency, and strategic leverage.