Egypt’s parliament approved possible military support for Saudi Arabia.
President Sisi may act if Riyadh requests assistance.
Escalating Houthi attacks threaten regional security and key shipping routes.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had asked parliament to approve military support for Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested help against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran.
The Houthis' advances also threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and providing access to Egypt’s Suez Canal.
Parliament, led by Speaker Hisham Badawi, approved the request on Monday. Egypt’s parliament approved the measure in a closed-door session, but officials did not disclose the vote count, reported reuters.
The decision could draw Egypt more directly into the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. Saudi Arabia has not publicly made a formal request for Egyptian troops.
The government statement also left unclear what form Egypt’s support would take. However, Taher al-Khouly, deputy head of parliament’s legislative committee, told Reuters that Egyptian forces would be sent to Saudi Arabia only if Riyadh requested them, with both countries coordinating the move.
The decision has drawn opposition from several political groups. The Civil Democratic Movement, an alliance of opposition parties, rejected Egypt’s involvement in a regional war and said last week that Cairo should focus on diplomatic efforts to mediate the conflict.
Egypt took part in a Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen in 2015, mainly using its navy to help protect key shipping routes. However, Cairo has not sent troops on a major overseas ground mission since the 1991 Gulf War.
Fighting Intensifies in Yemen
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, are fighting a Saudi-led coalition. Houthis have announced a naval blockade and ban on maritime traffic targeting Saudi Arabia, accusing Riyadh of imposing a restrictive siege on Yemen’s ports and airports for nearly 12 years. The conflict has escalated in recent weeks, worsening Yemen’s already severe humanitarian crisis.
Yemen’s conflict escalated again this summer after the Houthis announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. Riyadh intervened in the war in 2015, leading a coalition to restore Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which the Houthis had driven out of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
A truce agreed in 2022 had largely stopped the fighting, but it broke down last month. The Houthis then launched a rapid offensive, taking control of large parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast from government forces and targeting Saudi energy facilities and airports.
