Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has backed Saudi Arabia’s calls for safe and unrestricted navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

During a meeting in Cairo, Sisi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also discussed strengthening regional security and pursuing a political solution to the conflict in Yemen.

The talks come as Yemen’s Houthi rebels have captured key coastal areas, including the port of Mocha, and gained control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

The disruption of Red Sea shipping has affected Egypt’s economy, which depends heavily on revenue from the Suez Canal, Al-Jazeera has reported.

Egypt lost about $7 billion in Suez Canal revenue between 2023 and 2024 as shipping through the waterway declined.