Israel is Saudi Arabia's main strategic rival. For decades (i.e., as long as Israel itself exists), there has been an irreconcilable struggle between the two countries.
At the same time, Israel is not only being washed away by the Mediterranean, but it is also like this:
But it is also washed away by the Red Sea, which has a direct access to the Indian Ocean. Right here:
That is, we see Israel being able to reach the Gulf of Aqaba through a slender southern "tentacle":
The Gulf of Aqaba on the map
This, in turn, entered the Red Sea, allowing Israel to trade with Africa and Asia around the Suez Canal.
There is only one problem. The entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba is blocked by an island. Right here:
Meanwhile, one side of the gulf belongs to Egypt and the other to Saudi Arabia. Both countries are hostile to Israel.
The island covers the entrance to the gulf and then from Arabia to Egypt and vice versa. Overall, now it belongs to the Saudis.
This island is called Tiran.
Its area is only 80 square kilometers. 10 km off the Egyptian coast is the famous resort of Sharm El Sheikh, where you may even have spent your holidays.
So it's clear that controlling the islands means controlling shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba. That said, if Saudi Arabia (or Egypt) wants to prevent Israel from entering the Red Sea, Tiran would be an ideal platform.
Fortunately for Israel itself, until recently, the island was controlled by a U.N. mission (well, or, honestly, by U.S. troops).
To that end, a special military base has been established there to control Israel's navigation rights in the area.
The base is surrounded by mined areas. Supply is carried out only by air (helicopter). Landings on the island of outsiders (i.e. Saudi Arabian citizens) are prohibited.
It turns out that the island belongs to the Saudis only on paper. In fact, it was occupied by the West and covered quite well.
On July 16 this year, after meeting with the Saudi prince, Biden suddenly issued a statement saying that foreign military contingents would withdraw from the island.
That is, the island was actually "given" to the Saudis (more precisely, they were returned to their rightful owners). Of course, the gesture is quite broad, and Arabs should like it (but Israelis don't).
Rumor has it that the "gift" was made during the process of an agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia, according to which arabs should increase oil production and thus lower the world price of this important strategic resource.
I agree that's exactly what Biden had in mind.
- I am an island for them, they are oil to me...
However, in some of the material on this channel (and dozens of other channels), it's clear that Biden didn't culminate anything important from KSA