Which strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aqaba?

The Strait of Tiran connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aqaba.

It lies between Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Tiran Island, with Saudi Arabia’s coast farther east. The passage is part of the northern Red Sea system and provides the only maritime access to the Gulf of Aqaba. Shallow reefs and islands divide the water into navigable channels, making accurate charts important for shipping.

The strait has featured in regional political disputes because Egypt’s control of the passage affects access to the Israeli port of Eilat and Jordan’s port of Aqaba. The 1956 Suez Crisis and the 1967 Arab-Israeli War both involved tensions over navigation through the strait. It is often confused with Bab-el-Mandeb, which lies at the southern entrance to the Red Sea and connects that sea with the Gulf of Aden.