Saudi crown prince seeks neighbours' backing as Houthi attacks rattle Red Sea oil routes

On Tuesday, Egypt and Saudi Arabia emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation to safeguard the Red Sea and other vital shipping routes. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who had recently visited Cairo following a series of Houthi missile and drone strikes that targeted Saudi cities and temporarily disrupted an essential oil pipeline leading to the Red Sea.

The Egyptian and Saudi leaders affirmed that the security of both nations and the broader Gulf region is a shared concern.

In a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the two countries strongly condemned threats against Saudi Arabia. Egypt has long advocated for unimpeded access through the Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb straits, a stance that gains increased significance given the economic interdependence between the two nations. During Crown Prince Mohammed's visit from Jeddah, he met with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah, where he was informed of Houthi attacks in four southern Saudi cities, resulting in at least 73 injuries.

The Houthi attacks also prompted a precautionary shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, which links the Abqaiq oil complex with the Red Sea port of Yanbu, enabling alternative export routes.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated the gravity of the attacks during a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, at the Brics summit in New Delhi. Both leaders expressed their shared stance on the Palestinian issue, calling for a just and comprehensive resolution based on a two-state solution.

They also stressed the importance of implementing the commitments outlined in the second phase of US President Donald Trump's peace plan, facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza, and halting Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have recently advocated for the execution of the second phase of the peace plan, which they believe will address humanitarian needs and facilitate recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The two Arab and Muslim countries joined six others in calling for full and immediate implementation of the plan, emphasizing its potential to benefit Gaza's postwar situation.

Economic cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia was another focal point of the meeting, with both nations pledging to strengthen bilateral ties and remove barriers to increased trade and investment. Egypt-Saudi trade in goods reached $7.1 billion in the first half of the year, a 20% increase compared to the previous year, while Saudi investments in Egypt amounted to approximately $25 billion.

The two countries also established an Egyptian-Saudi Supreme Coordination Council in October 2024, chaired jointly by the leaders, to further bolster their relationship.