Sisi Hosts Saudi Crown Prince MBS in Cairo, Backs Red Sea Navigation Security Amid Houthi Escalation

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hosted Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Cairo on September 15, 2026, alongside Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The two leaders stressed the need for free and secure navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea, declaring that 'Saudi security is inseparable from Egypt's own national security.' The talks came after Houthi attacks injured at least 73 people across four southern Saudi cities (Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, Najran) and a separate drone strike from Iraq forced a temporary shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline — attacks both sides called a 'serious escalation.' Sisi backed Saudi efforts toward a political solution to the Yemen crisis, and the two leaders agreed to accelerate removal of trade and investment barriers; they also reaffirmed commitment to a two-state solution for Palestine and implementation of the Gaza peace plan. Egypt-Saudi trade reached about $7.1 billion in H1 2026, roughly 20% above the prior year. Egypt's Suez Canal has already lost an estimated $7 billion in revenue during 2023–2024 from Red Sea shipping disruption tied to Houthi attacks.