Egypt’s parliament approves military support for Saudi Arabia

Egypts parliament approves military support for Saudi amid Houthi attacks — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, left, shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Cairo, Egypr, February 23, 2026. Photo: Saudi Press Agency (SPA)

CAIRO,— Egypt’s parliament on Monday authorized President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take “all necessary measures” to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, potentially drawing Cairo deeper into the regional conflict.

Sisi asked lawmakers to authorize military aid if Saudi Arabia sought assistance against the Houthis.

Their advance threatens the Bab el-Mandeb, a vital maritime passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that supports shipping routes to Egypt’s Suez Canal.

At least two-thirds of lawmakers supported the measure, according to an official parliamentary statement. The vote took place behind closed doors, and officials did not release the tally. Riyadh has not publicly requested Egyptian troops.

Taher al-Khouly, deputy head of parliament’s legislative committee, told Reuters that Egyptian forces would deploy to Saudi Arabia in coordination with Riyadh and at its request.

The parliamentary measure did not define the form of support Egypt could provide.

The decision faced opposition at home. The Civil Democratic Movement, a coalition of opposition parties, rejected Egyptian involvement in a regional war and called for Cairo to focus on mediation.

The Egyptian Social Democratic Party said its lawmakers would abstain because the government had not explained the mission’s objectives, duration or cost, while maintaining its support for Saudi Arabia.

Egypt has condemned Iranian and Iran-backed attacks on Gulf countries but has not publicly joined direct combat in the current conflict. Egypt has not joined the defense agreement reached in August by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey.

Ministers from the three countries met in Riyadh earlier this month and agreed to ensure the “rapid deployment” of forces and military capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan approved the agreement last week, while Turkey’s parliament began ratification. Senior officials from the three countries met Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday to seek ways to ease tensions.

Britain said it would send Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to help shield Saudi urban areas and key facilities from Houthi air strikes.

Egypt Limits Its Role to Defense

Parliament postponed the vote last week while Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and intelligence chief Hassan Rashad traveled to Riyadh to deliver a letter from Sisi to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Sisi said Egypt’s assistance would focus on defending Saudi territory and borders, not attacking Yemen.

Abdelatty later said Cairo supported efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomacy. Senate Speaker Essam Farid described Egypt’s position as “purely defensive,” aimed at protecting Saudi territory, sovereignty, borders and holy sites.

He said the mission would not extend to an attack on Yemen, describing Egypt as “a shield that protects, not a sword that attacks.”

Egypt joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in March 2015, sending warships to protect Red Sea shipping lanes and about 800 ground troops, although its combat role remained limited.

Egypt sent troops to Yemen during a military intervention in the 1960s. It has not mounted another large-scale overseas ground operation since the 1991 Gulf War.

Yahya Ali al-Rai, speaker of Yemen’s Houthi-controlled House of Representatives, urged Egypt’s parliament to reject the proposal, warning that involvement would threaten Egypt’s national security and domestic stability.

Farid said he had also received a letter from Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr, head of Yemen’s Shura Council, which is aligned with the internationally recognized government.

Bin Daghr endorsed Egyptian assistance for Saudi Arabia, stating that the position represented the wishes of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council.

Saudi Arabia is a major political and financial partner of Egypt, providing billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits and energy supplies under Sisi.

Fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, has intensified in recent weeks, becoming a volatile front in the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s international airport and state oil company Saudi Aramco have disrupted flights and oil exports.

Aid organizations reported deteriorating conditions in Yemen, where the prolonged conflict has fueled a severe humanitarian emergency.

Reuters reported in September, citing people familiar with the matter, that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had sought US military assistance.

President Donald Trump declined to authorize strikes against the Houthis, the report said, while Washington offered intelligence sharing and targeting support.

(With files from Reuters)