Saudi Arabia and Egypt emphasized the importance of maintaining free and secure navigation through the Red Sea during talks in Cairo on Monday. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi addressed concerns over the control of the Bab Al Mandab Strait by Iran-backed Houthi militants, highlighting the strategic significance of the route for Saudi oil exports and Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues.
President Al Sissi underscored Egypt’s support for Saudi measures aimed at safeguarding the kingdom’s security and stability. Both leaders called for ensuring freedom and security of maritime passage through the straits of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandab, which serve as critical arteries for global energy shipments and trade.
Qatar also issued a warning on Monday, describing the potential closure of the Bab Al Mandab Strait as catastrophic for global markets. The strait serves as the southern gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal and has gained renewed importance this year after Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted oil shipments from the Gulf.
Last week’s Houthi seizure of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and Bab Al Mandab heightened tensions, threatening the primary maritime corridor for Saudi crude exports bound for Asian markets. Since the Houthis declared a naval blockade in July, Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on Egyptian infrastructure to transport oil, chiefly through the Sumed pipeline. Crude is moved from the Saudi port of Yanbu on the Red Sea to Egypt’s Ain Sokhna and then shipped overland via pipeline to the eastern Mediterranean at Sidi Kerir.
However, a recent drone attack attributed by Riyadh to forces originating in Iraq forced the temporary shutdown of the East-West pipeline connected to Yanbu, contributing to a surge in global oil prices above $100 per barrel.
Amid these developments, Saudi Arabia vowed a firm response to the renewed Houthi attacks following a missile and drone assault on the kingdom on Monday that wounded 13 civilians and caused damage in southern provinces. The strikes targeted areas including Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, reporting the use of dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against King Khalid Airbase.
Residents near Khamis Mushait described intense explosions and fires lasting several hours. Saudi civil defense briefly issued air-raid alerts for Makkah, Jeddah, and Taif before cancelling them. The Saudi military retaliated with over 50 airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.
The ongoing hostilities follow a resurgence of fighting since July, when Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia as part of the broader Yemen civil war. Saudi-led coalition forces continue efforts to counter Houthi advances, but the group has demonstrated capability for rapid and large-scale offensives.
Diplomatic sources noted that the United Nations Security Council was scheduled to convene on Monday to address the escalating Houthi aggression. The Saudi coalition characterized the insurgents’ attacks as "hostile and extremist" actions that threaten the kingdom’s sovereignty, pledging to implement all necessary measures to deter further assaults.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have reiterated their resolve to escalate military operations as long as Saudi Arabia maintains its campaign in Yemen. Reports from U.S. media indicated that Saudi Arabia’s requests for direct intervention in the conflict have been declined at the highest levels, complicating efforts to de-escalate the situation.