Egypt approves military support for Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks escalate

Egypt has frequently condemned Iranian and Iranian-backed attacks on Gulf countries but has not publicly ​engaged in direct combat or joined the Makkah mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia, ⁠Pakistan and Turkiye that wassigned in August. NEW: Egypt's Parliament Approves Military Support for Saudi Arabia Against Houthi Attacks.

Egypt's Parliament has authorized President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to provide military support to Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, limiting any deployment to defensive operations on Saudi…— Clash Report (@clashreport)October 26, 2026Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said this month that Egyptian membership in ​the pact remained "under serious consideration". Read:Egypt's Sisi seeks parliament's backing to help defend Saudi Arabia if asked.

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous state with one of the region's largest ​militaries, joined the Saudi-led coalition in an earlier phase of Yemen's war in March 2015 mainly as a naval partner, sending warships to secure Red Sea shipping lanes while pledging air support. It also deployed around 800 ground troops but ​played only a limited combat role.

Egypt was involved in a costly military intervention in Yemen in the ​1960s and has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War. Saudi Arabia is a major ‌political and ⁠financial partner of Cairo, providing billions of dollars in aid, deposits at the central bank and energy supplies under Sisi.

Fighting between the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthi militia, which controls the capital Sanaa, has escalated in recent weeks, becoming a volatile front inthe US-Israeli war on Iran. The ​Houthis have attacked.

Riyadh's international ​airportand the state ⁠oil giant. Saudi Aramco, disrupting flights and oil exports, while aid agencies have warned of worsening conditions in Yemen, already suffering one of the world's worst humanitarian ​crises.

Abdelatty and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad travelled to Riyadh on Wednesday ​to deliver a ⁠letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from Sisi, who said Egypt's support would be limited todefending. Saudi territory and borders rather than attacking Yemen.

Abdelatty said after that visit that Cairo advocates exploring"every ⁠opportunity"to ​resolve the Yemen conflict diplomatically. Read More:Egypt's Sisi says Saudi defence role would not include attack on Yemen. The Saudi crown princevisited Sisi in ​Cairoon September 15 to discuss security and navigation in the Red Sea after the fighting in Yemen reignited.