Saudi crown prince seeks Egypt’s backing as Houthi attacks rattle Red Sea oil routes

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Tuesday, seeking the Egyptian president's backing to counter increasing threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels. The kingdom has faced a surge in Houthi attacks on its shipping and infrastructure, driving up global oil prices. The Houthis recently captured the Red Sea port of Mokha and three strategic islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which could potentially block Saudi oil shipments to Asia.

Saudi Arabia has largely been on its own in dealing with the Iranian-backed rebels, who have bolstered their control over Yemen in the past week. An attack on the kingdom's largest oil pipeline has further highlighted the vulnerability of Saudi oil exports. While Egypt is not expected to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia, its influence in the Arab world could help rally support for the kingdom's cause.