Saudi-Egypt Security Talks as Houthi Threat Grows

Saudi-Egypt security talks are set for Tuesday as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman travels to Cairo for meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Egyptian presidency said the leaders will discuss bilateral ties and exchange views on regional and international developments. The visit comes as Saudi Arabia seeks wider support against the Iran-backed Houthis and their expanding position along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

The timing gives the meeting particular urgency. Houthi forces recently seized Perim Island and positions near Bab al-Mandab, giving them unprecedented leverage over the Yemeni side of the strategic strait. Saudi infrastructure has also come under attack, including the East-West oil pipeline. Egypt condemned those attacks and publicly reaffirmed its support for Saudi sovereignty and security.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” The principle fits a region where no single country can secure major trade routes alone. Saudi Arabia’s outreach to Egypt, Britain and the United States reflects the growing need for coordinated defense against a threat that crosses borders.

Saudi-Egypt Security Talks Focus on Bab al-Mandab

Bab al-Mandab links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and forms the southern gateway to the Suez Canal route. Roughly 7% of global oil output passes through the narrow waterway, alongside major flows of goods between Asia and Europe. Houthi control of nearby islands and coastline therefore gives the group leverage far beyond Yemen.

Egypt has an especially direct interest in restoring security. Suez Canal revenues reached $4.67 billion in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, up 23% as shipping began returning after earlier Red Sea disruptions. A renewed threat at Bab al-Mandab risks reversing that recovery by pushing shipping companies back around the Cape of Good Hope.

For Cairo, this is not simply a Saudi security problem. Reduced traffic through Bab al-Mandab means fewer ships reaching Suez, weaker foreign-currency earnings and added pressure on Egypt’s economy. The Houthi advance therefore gives el-Sisi and Mohammed bin Salman a powerful shared interest in preventing the Red Sea from becoming a permanent zone of coercion.

Washington and Jerusalem Have the Same Maritime Stake

The United States is already deeply involved in the emerging crisis. Mohammed bin Salman met U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper on Sunday as Houthi attacks intensified. President Donald Trump has declined direct U.S. strikes requested by Riyadh, but Washington has agreed to provide intelligence and targeting assistance.

Riyadh is also looking beyond Washington. In “UK Military Support for Saudi Arabia Under Review,” Britain was considering additional assistance as Houthi advances threatened Saudi infrastructure and Bab al-Mandab. The expanding outreach shows the scale of Saudi concern, but also reflects the fact that securing an international waterway requires more than one military.

Israel has its own immediate stake. Bab al-Mandab is the southern maritime gateway to the Red Sea and the route serving Eilat. U.S. maritime authorities have warned that Israeli-associated vessels remain at heightened risk from Houthi attacks in the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.

That connects Israeli security directly with Egyptian and Saudi interests, even without a formal Saudi-Israel alliance. Egypt needs traffic flowing toward Suez, Saudi Arabia needs secure Red Sea export routes, and Israel needs safe access to Eilat. Washington, meanwhile, has an interest in preventing an Iran-backed armed movement from determining which vessels can cross one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.

Strength Through Regional Responsibility

The United States and Israel share a covenantal understanding that national strength carries responsibility before God. Both traditions emphasize protecting innocent life, defending sovereignty and resisting forces that use violence to control others. Freedom of navigation turns those principles into something practical because open seas allow nations to trade without submitting to armed coercion.

The same logic makes cooperation with regional partners essential. Saudi Arabia and Egypt do not share every American or Israeli interest, but all four countries benefit from a Red Sea that remains open and secure. Preventing Iran-backed forces from dominating Bab al-Mandab therefore creates an unusual point of strategic convergence.

Mohammed bin Salman’s Cairo visit should be understood in that wider context. Riyadh is under pressure, Egypt has economic exposure through Suez, Israel faces threats to its southern maritime route, and Washington is trying to contain Iranian influence without entering another direct war.

The Saudi-Egypt security talks may therefore become part of a broader regional response to the Houthi advance. If Bab al-Mandab remains vulnerable, the consequences will reach oil markets, shipping costs, Egyptian revenues, Israeli trade and American economic interests alike.

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