Egypt's Parliament Authorizes Military Aid to Saudi Arabia

Egypt's parliament voted Monday to authorize the president to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia, a decision that follows weeks of Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure.

The House of Representatives, chaired by Speaker Hisham Badawi, approved the measure during a vote held on Monday. A statement shared by members with Reuters said President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is authorized to "undertake necessary" measures to help Saudi Arabia defend itself, provided Riyadh requests the support. Egypt's constitution requires approval from two-thirds of legislators before troops can be deployed abroad on combat missions.

The authorization followed closed-door parliamentary discussions and an earlier postponement of the military aid vote. Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport and facilities belonging to Saudi state oil company Aramco have disrupted flights and oil exports in recent weeks. Nawaf Obaid, a visiting senior research fellow at King's College London, said Saudi officials wanted assurances that Egypt would back the kingdom if asked. The vote was Cairo's way of saying "it will be there", Obaid said, though questions remain about what type of assistance Riyadh might seek and how Egypt would deliver it.

El-Sisi said Wednesday that any Egyptian military action would be limited to protecting Saudi territory and borders and would not involve attacks on Yemen. Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo continues to favor a diplomatic settlement after visiting Riyadh on Wednesday. The Houthi armed group controlling Yemen's capital, Sanaa, is fighting the Saudi-led coalition that backs the internationally recognized government. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks, worsening a humanitarian crisis that has already devastated Yemen.

Egypt also has a direct stake in Red Sea security. Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the key route to and from the Suez Canal, have disrupted shipping and reduced canal revenue. Egypt joined a previous Saudi-led campaign in Yemen in 2015, largely helping secure shipping routes with naval forces. Cairo has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.

El-Sisi met United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Cairo on Monday to discuss regional tensions and peace efforts. According to Egypt's presidency, Guterres praised Cairo's efforts to prevent escalation in the Gulf and said diplomacy could help address disputes over Iran's nuclear programme and shipping. In a post on X on Monday, Guterres urged "maximum restraint", warning that further fighting could spiral out of control.