The Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadid reported on Monday, citing Egyptian sources, that Cairo "does not intend to join any security or military alliance to confront the Houthis." The sources stressed that the Egyptian government "adheres to its approach not to join coalitions and adopts a vision for resolving conflicts and crises through contacts with the various elements."
An Egyptian source confirmed to the newspaper that "Cairo is satisfied with its role within the framework of Joint Force 153, which has been engaged in security missions in the Red Sea since December 2022. He said Egypt was mainly concerned about the activity in the Suez Canal. The publication comes against the backdrop of reports in the United States and Britain according to which US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected to announce an operation called "Guardian of Prosperity" during his visit to Israel. An operation aimed at countering the Houthi threat in the Red Sea.
Yemeni footage: Houthi rebels dancing aboard the Galaxy Leader (archive)
"There is an exchange of messages on the matter between Egypt and Iran and between Egypt and the Houthis. The exchange of messages takes place through security channels and is intended to ensure the security of navigation in the Red Sea in general, so that traffic through the Suez Canal will not be affected. Among other things, Egypt's efforts to ease the crisis in the Gaza Strip and bring in additional aid were highlighted," the source said. He claimed that so far traffic through the Suez Canal has not been affected in a way that causes concern in Egypt.
According to the source, Cairo has received messages from elements affiliated with the pro-Iranian axis, according to which the Houthis are making sure that the ships they attack are indeed sailing towards Israel and that "the route to the Suez Canal has not been relatively damaged in attacks." Despite this, the announcements by various shipping companies about a change in the movement of their vessels from the Red Sea to the Cape of Great Hope in South Africa are a sign that the Suez Canal is also likely to be hit by the Houthi threat.
The cargo ship seized by Houthi rebels earlier this month (archive), photo: AP
It should be noted that the income Egypt earns from the canal is a central pillar of the Egyptian economy, which is already in crisis. The one who will have to deal with this will be Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who won today's elections. This will be the third term for Sisi, who came to power in a military coup more than a decade ago.
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