Egypt’s parliament is due to meet on Sunday in an emergency session requested by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He wants lawmakers to approve defensive military aid for Saudi Arabia, which would be sent only if Riyadh asks for help in its war with the Houthis of Yemen.
The request follows continued attacks by the Iran-backed group on Saudi Arabia, including on the capital, Riyadh, and on its airports and oil facilities. In a speech on Saturday, el-Sisi said Egypt would take any step needed to protect the kingdom, but added that he hopes parliament will give him the authority to act. On Sunday, Egypt said it would offer all necessary and possible support to help Saudi Arabia safeguard its security and stability. The National Defence Council, which el-Sisi chairs, said Egypt stands fully with the kingdom in defending its resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites.
What Egyptian help could look like on the ground
Gulf studies expert Thomas Bonnie James said the Houthi threat to Saudi Arabia is one of two pressures behind the decision, the other being economic. He argued that Houthi pressure around Bab al-Mandeb endangers the Suez Canal, which Egypt’s foreign minister says has lost about $11bn since the attacks began in 2023. The Houthis have targeted Israeli-linked ships passing through the narrow strait in solidarity with Gaza.
James also said Cairo has a direct stake, because millions of Egyptians work and live in Saudi Arabia, the largest single source of remittances to Egypt. An Egyptian resident was killed and others were hurt in the attacks on Riyadh’s airport. He added that Egypt also does not want to be seen as a regional partner that watched from the sidelines while others protected the kingdom, noting that Turkiye and Pakistan have made their own pledges after activating the Mecca defence pact signed in August.
According to James, any Egyptian contribution would concentrate on protecting Saudi territory. He listed several possible roles:
- air and missile defence around critical infrastructure
- intercepting drones
- naval escort
- intelligence sharing
James said it was unlikely Egypt would send troops to Yemen’s front lines. Military defence analyst Alexandru Hudisteanu said counter-drone and anti-missile support was highly likely if the deployment is approved, calling it the most urgent need for reinforcing Saudi defences.
Legal limits and existing defence ties with Riyadh
Under Egyptian law, the president cannot declare war or send the military on foreign missions without parliamentary approval. To authorise such action, at least two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives must vote in favour of the proposal.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia have not signed a formal bilateral or multilateral defence pact. Still, Cairo has a long record of cooperation with Riyadh. Egypt is a founding member of the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition, which Saudi Arabia launched in July to protect shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, areas along Yemen’s coastline. Houthis seized towns near Bab al-Mandeb last month, though the internationally recognised government has since regained control of some of those areas.
Egypt also held joint military exercises with Saudi Arabia in 2024. It was part of a 2015 coalition formed after the Houthis took large parts of northern and western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, and it sent naval and air forces to help secure Red Sea shipping lanes.
James said the proposal differs from the maritime coalition Egypt recently joined. In his view, el-Sisi is seeking approval to deploy Egyptian forces to defend Saudi territory itself, shifting Egypt from a multilateral maritime framework to a bilateral military commitment. El-Sisi has stressed that he is proposing defence only and is not “speaking in order for us to fight anyone or attack anyone”. Analysts also note that Egypt is wary of repeating its 1960s role in Yemen, when then-president Gamal Abdel Nasser deployed tens of thousands of troops during the Yemen Civil War, suffered heavy casualties and strained ties with Saudi Arabia, which backed the opposing side.
