Egypt says ready to back Saudi Arabia in war against Iran-allied Houthis
EGY•Egypt said it is ready to provide Saudi Arabia with necessary support to defend its security, as the Houthis intensify attacks on the kingdom. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for an urgent parliamentary session to authorize military assistance, with discussions set to continue Monday.
1. Egypt offers support
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called an urgent parliamentary session to authorize the military to help Saudi Arabia if the kingdom requests support. A vote had been expected Sunday, but discussions were due to continue Monday, lawmakers and local media reports said. The Egyptian presidency said the country would provide all necessary and possible forms of support to defend Saudi Arabia’s security, resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites.
2. Houthi attacks escalate
The Saudi-led coalition backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of the north. The Houthis have recently attacked Riyadh’s international airport and Saudi Aramco, while their advances threaten the Bab el-Mandeb shipping route. Egypt previously joined the Saudi-led coalition in 2015 but played a limited combat role in Yemen’s civil war.
3. Regional risks
Egyptian military involvement could expose the country to Houthi attacks, as the conflict has widened into another front in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are strategic and economic partners, and Gulf states provided Egypt with aid, central-bank deposits and investments after the 2013 ouster of President Mohamed Morsi.
