Egypt is now reportedly in a challenging political situation as a result of President Trump’s new private and public calls for the United States to reimburse Egypt for its defense of commercial channels leading to the Suez Canal.
The action comes after a multiweek U.S. bombing campaign to prevent the Yemen-based Houthi rebels from attacking ships passing through the Red Sea on their way to the crucial waterway, and it echoes the administration’s efforts to find financial benefits for its foreign policy decisions in places like Gaza and Ukraine.
Trump claims that the U.S. should be permitted to use the canal for free as a result, but the Suez Canal Authority claims that just a small portion of the traffic on the waterway is from ships flying the American flag, and experts estimate that such a move would only be worth a minor amount of money.
Egypt has been severely impacted by the Houthi strikes, which have severely reduced traffic to the Suez Canal, making it one of the largest potential beneficiaries of the American war.
According to those familiar with the conversation, earlier this month, Trump called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and brought up the subject of free passage for American ships.
According to the persons, Trump told the Egyptian leader that the United States was seeking his help in the fight against the Houthis through cash, military support, or intelligence sharing to help with targeting since it may increase traffic in the Suez Canal.
According to the people, Sisi demurred and stated that a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip would be a more effective means of halting the Houthis, who started their attacks in earnest during the conflict that was sparked by the devastating attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, carried out by Houthi partner Hamas.
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