Egypt denies link to ship targeted off Yemen, condemns Red Sea attacks

“Such attacks represent a serious threat to the security and safety of navigation in the Red Sea,” the ministry said, adding that it is one of the world’s most important international waterways.

Egypt renewed its “categorical rejection of all acts targeting ships and civilian facilities or threatening the security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and international waterways.”

Attacks in the Red Sea often reduce traffic through Egypt’s Suez Canal, causing financial losses for Cairo as ships divert to alternative routes to avoid security risks.

Since July 20, tensions have escalated in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the Houthis announced a “naval blockade” on ships linked to Saudi Arabia.

Three days later, Riyadh said one of its ships had come under attack and, the following day, carried out strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen’s western Hudaydah province, saying they were used to threaten maritime navigation.

Saudi Arabia also announced the formation of a defensive naval coalition to protect freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, including the US, Yemen, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, the Maldives, Bangladesh and New Zealand.