Egypt’s Parliament Authorizes Sisi to Send Forces in Support of Saudi Arabia
In a closed session on 26 October, Egypt’s parliament approved President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to deploy forces in support of Saudi Arabia, with officials describing any mission as defensive as Yemen’s Houthis threaten Gulf interests.
Egypt has moved a step closer to potential military involvement in Gulf security. On 26 October, the Egyptian parliament met in a closed session and authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to deploy forces in support of Saudi Arabia.
Officials have framed any possible mission as defensive. Africa Confidential reported that 398 of the chamber’s 596 members were needed to approve the deployment.
The decision comes as Yemen’s Houthi movement threatens Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region, including energy infrastructure and shipping routes. Houthis have previously launched missiles and drones at Saudi airports, oil facilities, and maritime traffic.
For Egypt, a deployment on Saudi Arabia’s behalf could involve air, naval, or ground units assigned to protect territory, critical infrastructure, or sea lines. Even under a defensive mandate, those forces would be operating in an environment where Houthi missiles and drones are active.
The move also fits a broader pattern of regional states trying to strengthen collective responses to missile and drone attacks. Recent comments by Anwar Gargash, an advisor to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, reflect this concern. He said that “nobody can in any way justify an attack on civilian airports and civilian infrastructure, as we have seen in Saudi Arabia,” and stressed that Gulf countries’ security is interconnected, with incidents in one state affecting others.
Gargash has argued that relations with Iran, which supports the Houthis, are essential because of geography, but he says confidence has been shaken by attacks. He has also noted that Gulf states, as represented in the Gulf Cooperation Council, have not fully met the security challenge and has called for efforts to rebuild trust while trying to avoid another round of regional confrontation.
From Cairo’s perspective, backing Saudi Arabia reinforces political and economic ties with a key partner, while also linking Egypt more directly to tensions stemming from the Yemen conflict and from missile and drone activity across the region.
Observers will now watch for details from Egyptian authorities on whether forces will actually be deployed, in what numbers, and for which missions, and for any reaction from Riyadh, Tehran, or the Houthi leadership to the prospect of Egyptian troops participating in Saudi defense.
Sources
- OSINT