Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, made a surprise visit to Egypt, facing challenges from Houthi rebels to the west and Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz to the east. Egypt has historically supported Saudi Arabia, notably during the Yemeni civil war in 2015, making this visit particularly noteworthy.
On September 15, according to reports from the Jerusalem Post and other foreign media, bin Salman met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. An official from the Egyptian presidency indicated that the two leaders would discuss a wide range of mutual interests, but global attention is focused on security issues in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The two leaders expressed their commitment to ensuring freedom and safety of navigation in the Gulf region.
Previously, Saudi authorities had stated their intention to respond firmly to attacks from Houthi rebels. Egyptian media reported that since the resumption of the Yemeni civil war in July, Houthi forces have engaged in combat with government troops and have begun targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Given that the Houthis receive support from Iran while the Yemeni government is backed by Saudi Arabia, the conflict is increasingly seen as a proxy war between the two Islamic powers.
However, the shipping situation for Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is precarious. The ongoing conflict with Iran has disrupted exports through the Strait of Hormuz, leading Saudi Arabia to transport oil via east-west pipelines to the western port of Yanbu for shipment through the Red Sea. The Houthis' control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical passage from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, has raised alarms for Saudi oil exports. Additionally, Saudi east-west pipelines have reportedly been attacked by Iraqi militias believed to be supported by Iran, halting operations. Recovery of the facilities is expected to take three to five weeks, according to the Associated Press.
On the day before bin Salman's visit, September 14, cities in western Saudi Arabia, including Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif, were targeted by missile and drone attacks, resulting in 13 injuries. In response, Saudi forces conducted 50 airstrikes against Houthi positions. The Houthi-controlled health ministry in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a reported that three people, including two children, were killed in the Saudi attacks, according to the New York Times.
Bin Salman's visit has also drawn attention to the Sumed Pipeline, an alternative route bypassing the Houthi rebels. The Sumed Pipeline is a 320-kilometer oil pipeline that runs from Ain Sokhna on the eastern Red Sea coast of Egypt to Sidki Kerir on the Mediterranean coast. Oil is transported by tanker from Yanbu to Ain Sokhna, where it is then loaded for export to Europe and other destinations at Sidki Kerir. The operating company of this pipeline is jointly owned, with Egypt holding 50%, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates each holding 15%, and Qatar holding 5%. Last year, 365 million barrels of oil were exported through the Sumed Pipeline. The Voice of Emirates reported that "the kingdom controls oil production, but Egypt provides one of the most important land and sea routes for transporting oil to the Mediterranean."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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