Egyptian Parliament Greenlights Military Support for Saudi Defense
Lawmakers approved a mandate allowing President El-Sisi to send forces to Riyadh, a move driven by Houthi strikes that have disrupted Red Sea shipping and canal revenues.
By Maya Sokolov ·
The Egyptian House of Representatives voted on Monday to authorize President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to deploy troops to support Saudi Arabia. Speaker Hisham Badawi presided over the session as legislators approved the mandate following closed-door discussions.
The authorization allows Cairo to undertake necessary measures to defend the kingdom if Riyadh requests assistance. This legal step follows a series of Houthi attacks that targeted Riyadh’s international airport and facilities owned by Saudi Aramco. Those strikes have interrupted commercial flights and oil exports, creating immediate financial pressure on both nations.
Egypt’s economy has a direct exposure to the conflict through the Suez Canal. Houthi activity near the Bab al-Mandeb strait has disrupted shipping lanes, reducing the revenue Cairo collects from passing vessels. Saudi Arabia remains one of Egypt’s most important economic partners, and the vote reflects Cairo’s effort to stabilize its regional trade routes.
Nawaf Obaid, a visiting senior research fellow at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that Saudi officials sought reassurance of Egyptian support. He described the parliamentary vote as Cairo’s signal that it would be there for the kingdom. However, Obaid noted that questions remain regarding the specific type of assistance Riyadh might request and the logistics of providing it.
El-Sisi stated on Wednesday that any military action would be limited to protecting Saudi territory and borders rather than launching attacks on Yemen. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo still favors a diplomatic settlement after visiting Riyadh on the same day. The president met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Cairo on Monday to discuss regional tensions.
Egypt’s constitution requires a two-thirds majority from legislators before troops can be sent abroad on combat missions. The country joined the previous Saudi-led campaign in Yemen in 2015, primarily using naval forces to secure shipping routes. Cairo has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.
Guterres praised Cairo’s efforts to prevent escalation in the Gulf on Monday. In a post on X, he urged maximum restraint, warning that further fighting could spiral out of control. The Houthi armed group, which controls Yemen’s capital Sanaa, continues to fight the Saudi-led coalition that backs the internationally recognized government.
Source: Al Jazeera
More Business · Business Complaints · Report a business · Got a Story?
