Saudi Arabia’s crown prince on Tuesday sought backing from the president of Egypt, as the kingdom faces increased attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping and infrastructure, while the militants yesterday said that they had shot down a Saudi Arabian fighter jet.
The Iranian-backed rebels have captured territory in the past week that has increased their ability to choke off Saudi Arabian oil exports through the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman met in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Photo: AP
The crown prince said in a statement that they confirmed “their shared commitment to ensuring freedom and security of maritime navigation” in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a choke point at the sea’s southern end.
Al-Sisi’s office in a separate statement expressed “Egypt’s unwavering position in supporting Saudi Arabia.”
Neither side gave firm details on any future steps.
While Egypt is unlikely to offer military help to Saudi Arabia, the country is influential in the Arab world and can help rally support. Egypt has been at the center of mediation efforts in the past three years of turmoil in the region, keeping open relations with all parties, including Iran and its allies.
In the past few days, Houthi fighters made dramatic advances, seizing the Red Sea port of Mokha and three strategic islands in and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The gains have improved the Houthis’ position to seal off the strait to Saudi Arabian shipping, which they have been attacking since late July.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the open ocean and, from there, to Saudi Arabia’s biggest oil customers in Asia.
Yesterday, the Houthis said they shot down a Saudi Arabian F-15 and that a locally made munition was used to target the warplane.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces, with Allah’s aid and grace, succeeded in shooting down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was carrying out hostile operations in support of its military mobilizations in the airspace of Marib Province,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on social media, while accusing Saudi Arabia of launching 450 strikes.
He said the jet had been targeted “using a locally made air-to-air missile.”
The spokesman also dismissed Riyadh’s claims that the Houthis had targeted Mecca this week.
“Our operations target its oil facilities and military bases, which are far removed from the sacred sites,” he said.
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