Egypt's parliament authorises military support for Saudi Arabia

Egypt's House of Representatives voted on Monday to authorise President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to provide military support to Saudi Arabia, as attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis intensify. The session was chaired by Speaker Hisham Badawi, according to Al Jazeera.

State newspaper Al-Ahram reported that the chamber approved authorising the president to take the necessary measures to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Arab News said the move followed a request from el-Sisi. A parliamentary statement shared with Reuters said the support would be for Saudi Arabia to defend itself, should Riyadh request assistance.

The decision follows Houthi attacks on Riyadh's international airport and on facilities of the state oil company Aramco, which have disrupted flights and oil exports. The Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa, are fighting a Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen's internationally recognised government. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks, deepening Yemen's humanitarian crisis.

El-Sisi said on Wednesday that any Egyptian military action would be limited to protecting Saudi territory and borders rather than attacking Yemen. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said after visiting Riyadh the same day that Cairo still favours a diplomatic settlement.

The vote came after closed-door parliamentary discussions and an earlier postponement of the authorisation. Egypt's constitution requires approval from two-thirds of legislators before troops can be sent abroad on combat missions. Saudi Arabia is one of Egypt's most important economic partners.

Nawaf Obaid, a visiting senior research fellow at King's College London, told Al Jazeera that Saudi officials wanted reassurance that Egypt would support the kingdom if asked. He said the vote was Cairo's way of saying it will be there, but questions remain over what assistance Riyadh might request and how Egypt would provide it.

Egypt also has its own stake in Red Sea security. Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a 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 carried out a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.

On Monday el-Sisi also met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Cairo. According to Egypt's presidency, Guterres praised Cairo's efforts to prevent escalation in the Gulf. In a post on X, Guterres urged maximum restraint and warned that further fighting could spiral out of control.