Egypt moves to send troops to help defend Saudi Arabia against Houthis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has asked parliament to authorize the army to help defend Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify. The vote, which requires a two-thirds majority under the constitution, has been postponed to next Monday.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has asked parliament to authorize the military to take part in defending Saudi Arabia after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis stepped up attacks on the kingdom's airports and oil facilities. Sisi stressed the mission would be purely defensive and would only proceed if Riyadh requested it.

"Egypt will take any measures requested by Saudi Arabia to protect and defend it," Sisi said on Saturday at a military graduation ceremony. Under Egypt's constitution, the president must consult the National Defense Council and secure the approval of two-thirds of parliament before sending the armed forces on a combat mission abroad.

The plenary hall of Egypt's House of Representatives

Defense council pledges support, parliament delays vote

The National Defense Council, chaired by Sisi on Sunday, reviewed what the presidency called "grave escalations" in the region and "unacceptable attacks" on Saudi Arabia. It pledged "all necessary and possible forms of support" to protect the kingdom's security, stability, resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites. Parliament met in an emergency session the same day and was expected to approve the measure on Tuesday, but the vote was pushed back to next Monday.

The Egyptian Social Democratic Party told its lawmakers to abstain, saying it had not been given enough information about the mission's scope, costs and risks or about arrangements to protect Egyptian troops.

A new regional defense picture that includes Türkiye

Egypt has so far managed to stay out of the region's recent military conflicts. Retired army brigadier and strategic analyst Samir Ragheb told CBS News that Gulf states have invested billions of dollars in Egypt and that it is time to honor past pledges. He said the threat goes beyond the Houthis to include Iran, Iraqi militias and sleeper cells inside the kingdom, and argued that Washington's refusal to strike the Houthis on Saudi Arabia's behalf had left a vacuum. In August, Saudi Arabia signed a joint defense agreement with Türkiye and Pakistan known as the Mecca Accords. Pakistan's and Egypt's foreign ministers also condemned the Houthi attacks last weekend and voiced solidarity with Riyadh.

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