Egypt calls for reducing Red Sea tension

Egypt called for reducing tensions in the region on Friday evening, expressing “deep concern” following the escalation of military operations in the Red Sea.

This was conveyed in a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry hours after the US-British strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen.

In the same statement, Egypt expressed its: “Deep concern over the escalation of military operations in the Red Sea region and the air strikes that were directed at a number of areas inside Yemen.”

It called for: “The need to unit international and regional efforts to reduce tension and instability in the region, including navigation security in the Red Sea.”

It considered: “The dangerous and escalating developments taking place in the southern Red Sea region and Yemen a clear indication of what we have repeatedly warned against several times regarding the dangers of expanding the conflict in the region as a result of the continued Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.”

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It stressed: “The inevitability of a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the ongoing war against Palestinian civilians, to spare the region from further factors of instability, conflicts and threats to international peace and security.”

The White House announced at dawn on Friday, in a joint statement with ten countries, that the strikes were: “In response to continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping, transiting the Red Sea.”

The Houthis said in a statement issued by the group’s Political Council (the highest political authority), published by the group’s Saba News Agency, that all US-British interests have become “legitimate targets” for its forces, in response to their “direct and declared aggression” against Yemen.

In “solidarity with the Gaza Strip,” which has been suffering an Israeli war with US support since 7 October, the Houthis are using missiles and drones to target cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel.

READ: Europe split over US-UK strikes on Houthis in Yemen