Egypt Authorizes Support for Saudi Arabia

Egypt’s parliament has approved military support for Saudi Arabia as Houthi advances and attacks raise concerns about the kingdom’s security and the safety of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The approval authorizes President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to take measures to support Saudi Arabia. Sisi requested parliamentary approval the previous week. The Bab el-Mandeb is a narrow maritime passage linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is an important route for shipping bound for Egypt’s Suez Canal, giving developments around the strait significance beyond the immediate security of Saudi Arabia. Egypt has previously participated in the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen, joining in 2015. Its contribution was primarily naval, although Cairo also sent about 800 ground troops; their combat involvement was limited. The article presents the new authorization as potentially representing a notable change in Egypt’s military posture. The country has not undertaken a large-scale overseas ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War. The report does not specify what military measures Egypt will take, whether troops will be deployed, or the timing and scale of any support. It describes the parliamentary decision as an authorization for the president, rather than as confirmation that a particular operation has begun. The significance of the move therefore lies in the possibility of a larger Egyptian role amid heightened concern over Houthi activity and regional maritime security.

Egypt’s Parliament authorised the country’s military on Oct 26 to support the defence of Saudi Arabia, following a request from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and amid intensified Houthi attacks on the Gulf kingdom. The decision could draw Cairo more directly into a regional conflict that has widened alongside the US-Israeli war on Iran. Sisi has said any Egyptian assistance would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders, rather than taking part in attacks on Yemen. Egypt has also advocated a diplomatic resolution to the Yemen conflict. The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, have attacked Riyadh’s international airport and Saudi Aramco, disrupting flights and oil exports. Their actions have raised concerns about security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage leading to Egypt’s Suez Canal. Aid agencies have warned that conditions are worsening in Yemen, which is already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis. Egypt has previously condemned attacks on Gulf states but has not publicly taken part in direct combat against the Houthis or joined the Saudi-Pakistani-Turkish Mecca mutual defence pact. Egyptian officials say membership in that pact is under consideration. Egypt did join the Saudi-led coalition during an earlier phase of the Yemen war in 2015, mainly providing naval support to protect Red Sea shipping, while also pledging air support and deploying about 800 ground troops. Its combat role was limited. Cairo has historical experience of a costly intervention in Yemen in the 1960s and has not made a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War. Saudi Arabia is a major political and financial partner for Egypt, having supplied aid, central-bank deposits and energy during Sisi’s presidency. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and intelligence chief Hassan Rashad visited Riyadh on Oct 21 with a letter from Sisi to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince had visited Sisi in Cairo on Sept 15 to discuss Red Sea security and navigation.

Egypt’s parliament has authorised President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to take necessary measures, in coordination with Saudi Arabia, to defend the kingdom against external aggression, including possible Houthi attacks. The resolution passed with the required two-thirds majority, clearing a constitutional hurdle for a potential deployment. Parliament did not publish the exact vote count; the vote was held by roll call in closed session. The authorisation does not mean troops will be sent immediately. El Sisi has said Egypt would act only if Saudi Arabia requested assistance, and no formal request has been announced. The mandate leaves the timing, scale and form of any support to the president, who is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The vote followed El Sisi’s request for parliamentary approval on October 17 and a National Defence Council pledge the next day to provide the kingdom with necessary and possible support. Although pro-government parties held enough seats to make approval likely, debate continued over several sessions. Most parties supported the request, arguing that Saudi security is closely linked to Egypt’s national security. The Egyptian Social Democratic Party instructed its MPs to abstain, citing the financial cost and danger of escalation. One of its MPs criticised the mandate as vague and open-ended and called for diplomacy. The dispute has become more immediate for Egyptians after a Houthi strike on Riyadh’s airport on October 10 killed 12 people, including Egyptian flight attendant Azza Ramzy. Houthi representatives have warned Egypt against intervening, saying involvement could endanger its national security. Egypt also has significant economic reasons to support Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is a major financial backer, while Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have reduced Suez Canal revenue. It remains unclear whether any Egyptian mission would involve ground troops, air defence or naval forces; officials have described it as defensive.