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This article analyzes the motivations behind Saudi Arabia’s strategic pivot towards the Red Sea when Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the kingdom’s future heir, announced Vision 2030: his program of transformations for the country. Drawing on our familiarity with the Saudi terrain, we analyze here the trigger factor that motivated this decision, while examining how the Saudi-Egyptian relationship constitutes the structural ferment that shaped Riyadh’s approach. We also examine the geopolitical challenges and stakes involved in MBS’s plan to build a “new Arabia” on the shores of the Red Sea.