Saudi-Egyptian relations key focus as Crown Prince MBS visits Egypt amid Houthi attacks - analysis

Saudi Arabis’s crown prince departed for Egypt on a state visit on September 15. This is an important trip. It comes after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. It also comes in the wake of an Iranian-backed militia attack on a key Saudi pipeline. The US is monitoring the situation, and it is not clear yet what Riyadh will do in the face of multi-front threats.

Egypt has been a friend and ally of Saudi Arabia for many years. It worked with Saudi Arabia in intervention in Yemen in 2015. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Saudi Arabia’s Arab News noted that “Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will meet with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. The talks will address a variety of issues of mutual interest between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.” The report added that they are expected to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, the Egyptian presidential office said.

“The two leaders will exchange views on regional developments amid the latest tensions and changes in the region, while also discussing ways to strengthen Egyptian-Saudi relations and expand bilateral cooperation.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia warned Tuesday it will react "firmly" to Yemen's Houthis, after a new series of attacks. “The Houthis have been engaged in renewed fighting with Saudi-backed government forces since Yemen's civil war reignited in July, when the group declared a maritime blockade on Riyadh and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea,” Egypt’s Al-Ahram said.

“The group seized control of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait last week, which has become vital as the wider US-Iran war chokes the Strait of Hormuz, in a significant blow to Yemeni government forces,” the report noted. A Houthi strike in western Yemen on Monday killed eight soldiers from government forces, according to two military sources.

Saudi Arabia also confirmed Tuesday there had been missile and drone attacks the previous day on Khamis Mushait, Abha and Taif. Thirteen people were wounded. Riyadh carried out around 50 strikes on the Houthis, local media said. Meanwhile, Hazem al-Assad from the Houthis' leadership said the "Yemeni response will continue and escalate as long as they (Saudi Arabia) persist in their aggression against our people".

Saudi Arabia struggles to get its oil past Hormuz

The developments further strain Saudi Arabia's effort to get its oil to market while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point at the mouth of the Persian Gulf where Iranian attacks have stifled shipping.

Al-Ahram in Egypt noted that “the developments further strain Saudi Arabia's effort to get its oil to market while avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point at the mouth of the Persian Gulf where Iranian attacks have stifled shipping. The kingdom relies on the East-West Pipeline, which runs the breadth of the country, to move its crude production from Gulf ports to ports on its western, Red Sea coast. From there it can be put on tankers for export.” It added that “an attack that Saudi Arabia blamed on drones from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq forced the shutdown of the 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline on Thursday [September 11].”

Meanwhile in the US, US Vice-President JD Vance spoke to reporters before boarding Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Vance said the Trump administration was closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation in Yemen. “We’ve been engaged in direct conversations with the Houthis themselves,” Vance said, according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile in Yemen the Houthis expanded control on several islands. These included Perim island. “We are going to keep on monitoring the situation,” the US Vice-President added.

As a curtain raiser for the meeting between the Saudi and Egyptian leaders, Saudi Arabia’s media outlets projected a positive tone. This is important in Egypt. Al-Ahram noted that the goal is to highlight “the strategic relationship between Cairo and Riyadh. However, Red Sea security, the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, Yemen, and regional de-escalation received greater emphasis than trade and investment.”

Ahram added that “The programme includes a bilateral meeting between the two leaders, followed by expanded talks between the Egyptian and Saudi delegations and a luncheon hosted by El-Sisi.” It noted that “the talks will address bilateral cooperation and regional and international developments of mutual concern, Presidential Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said.” There is no doubt the countries are cooperating and coordinating on regional issues. However it is not clear if Saudi Arabia will respond to the developments in Yemen and Iraq.

Meanwhile Ahram also reported on a new terminal opening in Egypt. The Sokhna Cargo Terminal is operated by the Marine Ports Company. It received a vessel and handled “its berthing, unloading, and cargo operations as part of the trial phase. Suez Cargo Handling Company, another ministry-affiliated company, carried out the unloading,” Ahram noted.

 Trial tests the terminal's readiness

Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said the trial operation aims to test the terminal’s integrated operating system and ensure the readiness of its berths. “The terminal has a 397,000-square-metre handling yard and two berths with a combined length of 1,200 metres and a depth of up to 18 metres, allowing it to accommodate large vessels and handle various types of general and dry bulk cargo. It is designed to have an annual handling capacity of around 10 million tons.”

The terminal is at the southern end of the Gulf of Suez, around 40km south of the Canal. “Egypt has begun trial operations at the first phase of a general cargo and dry bulk terminal at Ain Sokhna Port, receiving the vessel GAMBELLA carrying 1,460 metric tons of battery units for an energy storage system, the Ministry of Transport said on Monday,” Ahram said. This shows that Egypt continues to invest in Red Sea infrastructure.

At the same time Egypt held an exercise with Greece. The drill “involves naval, air force, air defence, reconnaissance, and special forces units, including paratroopers and commandos, from Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, France, and Italy.” This is important because it illustrates how Egypt works closely with countries that are also close to Israel, such as Greece and Cyprus.

“The exercise began with Egyptian and Greek naval forces conducting a passage exercise while en route to Greece, alongside theoretical and practical preparatory training aimed at standardizing combat concepts and exchanging expertise among the participating countries,” Ahram noted. “The drills are expected to include various naval and air combat activities against different threats, as well as exercises, live-fire drills, and training to counter asymmetric threats.”

Taken together, the drills as well as the port investment and the visit from Saudi Arabia illustrates how Egypt is positioning itself between the Arab world and Eastern Mediterranean.