Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for free and secure navigation in the Red Sea during talks in Cairo, as the kingdom vowed to respond “firmly” to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.
According to AFP, the regional powers discussed the threat posed by the group’s control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route vital to both Saudi oil exports and Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues.
They called for “ensuring the freedom and security of maritime navigation” through the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, the Egyptian presidency said, adding that Sisi affirmed Egypt’s support for measures taken by the kingdom “to protect its security and stability”.
