By Jana al-Masri | 2023-12-28

CAIRO -- Egypt considers the security of the Suez Canal and Red Sea paramount to its national security, and has in recent years focused on modernizing its naval fleet and strengthening its military presence near the canal, experts said.

Under the current circumstances -- with the Houthis' continuing attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea -- Egypt may seek to enhance the security of the canal and waterways via new and existing alliances, they said.

"The security of the Suez Canal is a priority for Egyptian national security, as the canal is a vital economic and commercial artery," al-Sharq Center for Regional and Strategic Studies researcher Sami Gheit told Al-Fassel.

"The canal itself, owing to its geographical location, has geopolitical importance because it serves as a link between the East and West, both navigationally and economically," he said.

"It is a global strategic corridor, and it is Egypt's responsibility to protect it and maintain its security, which enhances Egypt's position globally from both the security and political standpoints," Gheit said.

The current tension in the region resulting from the Houthis' threats and their harassment of maritime traffic, which includes seizing and attacking commercial vessels, "will change the rules of the game in the Red Sea region," he said.

"The major powers globally and the political forces regionally, led by Egypt, will strengthen military capabilities to protect the Suez Canal and all Red Sea lanes," he said.

Protecting regional waterways

It is of critical importance to protect the waterways in the Red Sea region, especially the Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb strait, Egyptian military analyst Talaat Moussa told Al-Fassel.

Maritime traffic in the Suez Canal depends on Egyptian protection, he said, but others will step in to provide protection for maritime traffic, "as most countries in the world are concerned with the security of these strategic corridors."

The United States on December 18 announced the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new multinational security initiative.

Operation Prosperity Guardian will operate under the auspices of the 39-member Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the leadership of its Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153), which focuses on security in the Red Sea.

Egypt helmed CTF 153 between mid-December 2022 and mid-June 2023.

The new initiative will address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and aims to ensure freedom of navigation and bolster regional security and prosperity, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

Moussa said the current security conditions in the Suez Canal and Red Sea will increase the pressure on Egypt, as the Egyptian army is already deployed in Sinai, where it has been fighting ISIS-Sinai.

The Egyptian army also is deployed and on full alert in the border regions with Libya and Sudan, as well as at the Rafah crossing with Gaza, he added.

The Houthi threats have opened up a new, high priority security area that requires the participation of all combat units from the ground, air and naval forces, Moussa said.

Strategic importance of Berenice base

"Egypt is fully aware of the importance of the security of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, and the necessity of maintaining the highest levels of security and safety," Egyptian military expert Yahya Mohammed Ali told Al-Fassel.

It has recently tightened security measures, he said, pointing to the inauguration, in January 2020, of the Berenice military base in southeastern Egypt, "the largest military base in the Red Sea region."

Mohammed Ali said the enhanced Red Sea security comes as this region "is unstable security-wise and politically to begin with, and contains many armed groups affiliated with Iran," in addition to pirates from the Horn of Africa.

"Owing to its distinctive location, the Berenice base is of strategic importance, as it allows for very rapid intervention due to its proximity to the canal and the waterways," he said.

"It also houses many combat groups, including infantry combat groups, in addition to a military airport and a port for naval military vessels."

He noted that Egypt has strengthened its naval forces over the past years and added many naval vessels to its fleet, "which makes it capable of facing any serious challenges."

But at the same time, he said, "it is exercising patience politically and not getting drawn into plans to ignite the region because it is fully aware of the dangers of wars and their devastating consequences" for Egypt and the region.