Egypt lets army help defend Saudi Arabia from Houthi strikes

Egyptian lawmakers voted Monday to authorize the country's military to provide direct support to Saudi Arabia. The move grants Cairo the power to defend its Gulf neighbor if Riyadh requests assistance against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces. Local media and parliamentarians confirmed the authorization, signaling a deeper military involvement for the Arab world's most populous state.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested this mandate last week. He asked parliament to approve defending Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, against Houthi attacks. The Houthis' advances threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway to Egypt's Suez Canal. Sisi specified that Egyptian support would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders, not attacking Yemen.

Egypt has historically avoided direct combat in the Yemen conflict. It joined the Saudi-led coalition in March 2015 primarily as a naval partner. Cairo sent warships to secure Red Sea shipping lanes and pledged air support. The country also deployed about 800 ground troops, but they played a limited combat role. Egypt has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said this month that Egypt's membership in the Mecca mutual defense pact remains under serious consideration. The pact, signed in August, includes Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Abdelatty and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday to deliver a letter from Sisi to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Abdelatty said Cairo advocates exploring every opportunity to resolve the Yemen conflict diplomatically.

Fighting in Yemen has escalated in recent weeks. The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, have attacked Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco. These strikes have disrupted flights and oil exports. Aid agencies warn of worsening conditions in Yemen, which already suffers one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The conflict has become a volatile front in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Saudi Arabia serves as a major political and financial partner for Cairo. The Gulf state provides billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits, and energy supplies under Sisi's administration. The Saudi crown prince visited Sisi in Cairo on September 15 to discuss security and navigation in the Red Sea after the fighting in Yemen reignited.