Egypt's Sisi, Trump discuss regional mediation efforts in phone call

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Donald Trump discussed mediation efforts to restore regional calm which would have a positive impact on Red Sea navigation and end economic losses for all parties, the Egyptian presidency said on Tuesday.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on shipping since Israel's war with Hamas began in late 2023, saying they were acting in solidarity with Gaza's Palestinians.

The attacks have disrupted global commerce and set the US military off on a costly campaign to intercept missiles.

Trump said earlier on Tuesday that he had discussed with Sisi the progress made against the Houthis, as the White House continues its biggest military attacks against the Yemeni group under Trump's administration since March 15.

Trump said the strikes were a response to the group's attacks on Red Sea shipping, and he warned Iran, the Houthis' main backer, that it needed to immediately halt support for the group.

In messages mistakenly shared with a journalist at The Atlantic magazine in March disclosing US war plans against the Houthis, one of the US officials quoted in the chat relayed by The Atlantic said that Trump approved the Yemen plans but “we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return”.

The Egyptian statement made no mention of the messages or Washington’s strikes against Houthis.

Egypt has been impacted by the Houthis’ attacks on the Red Sea area since November 2023, which forced vessels to avoid the nearby Suez Canal and reroute trade around Africa, raising shipping costs.

Sisi said in December the disruption cost Egypt around $7bn (R130.68bn) in less revenue from the Suez Canal in 2024.