Saudi Arabia and Egypt have jointly called for free and secure navigation in the Red Sea after the Houthis strengthened their grip on a critical waterway. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday, where both leaders stressed the need to protect shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis seized the entire Yemeni Red Sea coastline and the Bab el-Mandeb last week in a rapid advance. This strait has become especially important for Saudi oil exports while the wider regional conflict restricts traffic through the Gulf. Riyadh has vowed a firm response to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks that wounded 13 civilians in three areas the previous day.
Saudi authorities issued multiple attack alerts on Tuesday for cities including Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Abha, and Jazan, though most were later lifted. The Saudi-led coalition promised to deal firmly with what it called a hostile and extremist approach and to take all necessary measures to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty.
Egypt faces direct economic risk if the Red Sea becomes more dangerous. The waterway serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal, a major source of foreign revenue for Cairo. Canal income is already about half of what it was before earlier Houthi campaigns against shipping. Qatar has also warned that any closure of Bab el-Mandeb would prove catastrophic for global trade.
The Houthis insist their actions target only Saudi vessels and pose no general threat to navigation. However, any further attacks risk driving commercial shipping away from the route. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed Saudi Arabia carried out 52 airstrikes on Yemen in 24 hours, including strikes on civilian sites.
A US military task force is currently providing intelligence and planning support to Saudi forces. The renewed fighting has already displaced around 100,000 people inside Yemen according to the United Nations. As the conflict intensifies, both Riyadh and Cairo are pushing for open and secure sea lanes while preparing for possible further escalation.
