Egypt’s parliament on Monday authorised President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia as escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi forces threaten regional security and vital shipping routes.
The decision allows Sisi to take necessary measures to help defend Saudi territory if Riyadh formally requests Egyptian support, potentially drawing Cairo more directly into the widening regional conflict.
At least two-thirds of Egyptian lawmakers supported the measure, according to a parliamentary statement cited by Reuters.
The authorisation comes as Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure intensify, raising concerns over the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and a vital route for shipping through Egypt’s Suez Canal.
Egypt rules out offensive operations in Yemen
Despite the parliamentary approval, Sisi has reportedly assured Saudi leaders that any Egyptian military involvement would be strictly defensive.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and intelligence chief Hassan Rashad travelled to Riyadh last week to deliver a letter from Sisi to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The message outlined Cairo’s position that Egyptian forces would be deployed only to protect Saudi territory and borders, rather than participate in offensive operations inside Yemen.
The parliamentary vote had been postponed pending the diplomatic visit.
Following the talks, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s preference for a diplomatic settlement, calling for all available opportunities to resolve the Yemen conflict through negotiations.
Egypt has repeatedly condemned attacks against Gulf countries by Iran and groups aligned with Tehran but has avoided direct military engagement in the latest regional escalation.
Cairo is also not a signatory to the Mecca mutual defence agreement concluded in August between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye.
Senior officials from the three countries were meeting Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday as diplomatic efforts continued to contain the expanding conflict.
Cairo’s previous involvement in Yemen
Egypt previously joined the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis in March 2015, contributing primarily to maritime security operations in the Red Sea.
Egyptian warships were deployed to protect commercial shipping routes, while approximately 800 ground troops were also sent to support coalition operations.
However, Cairo’s direct combat involvement remained limited.
Egypt’s military intervention in Yemen during the 1960s resulted in heavy losses, shaping successive governments’ reluctance to undertake extensive military deployments abroad.
The country has not conducted a major foreign ground operation since its participation in the 1991 Gulf War.
Last week, Yahya Ali al-Rai, speaker of Yemen’s Houthi-controlled House of Representatives, urged Egyptian lawmakers to reject the proposed military assistance.
He warned that entering the conflict could undermine Egypt’s national security and threaten domestic stability.
Houthi attacks deepen regional crisis
The parliamentary decision follows weeks of intensified fighting between Houthi forces, which control Yemen’s capital Sanaa, and the Saudi-led coalition supporting the country’s internationally recognised government.
The escalation has increasingly become intertwined with the broader US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Recent Houthi strikes have targeted Riyadh’s international airport and facilities belonging to Saudi energy giant Aramco, disrupting commercial flights and oil exports.
The attacks have heightened fears of further instability across the Gulf and Red Sea, where disruptions to maritime traffic could have significant consequences for international trade.
Saudi Arabia has sought additional military assistance from Washington, but US President Donald Trump declined to authorise strikes against the Houthis when approached by Riyadh, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters in September.
Instead, Washington reportedly offered intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance.
For Egypt, the decision carries significant diplomatic and economic implications.
Saudi Arabia remains one of Cairo’s most important regional partners, having provided billions of dollars in financial assistance, central bank deposits and energy supplies during Sisi’s presidency.
Although Egypt’s latest authorisation stops short of approving offensive military action, it signals a potentially significant shift in Cairo’s involvement in the regional conflict as efforts to prevent a wider confrontation continue.
