- WEB DESK
- October 19, 2026
Egypt ready to support Saudi Arabia against Houthis
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- Reuters
- October 19, 2026
CAIRO: Egypt has offered to support Saudi Arabia in defending its security as Yemen’s Houthi movement intensifies attacks on the kingdom, a move that could widen the regional conflict.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for an urgent parliamentary session to seek authorisation for the country’s military to assist Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requests help, the Egyptian presidency said on Sunday.
The development could increase the stakes in the Middle East war, given Egypt’s military strength and its strategic ties with Saudi Arabia, a key Gulf ally.
Egypt’s presidency said Cairo was prepared to provide the assistance needed to protect Saudi Arabia’s security and stability. However, any military involvement would depend on a request from the Saudi government.
A parliamentary vote had been expected on Sunday, but discussions were set to continue on Monday, according to two lawmakers and local media reports.
The potential move comes as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia raise concerns about the conflict spreading further across the region. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, are said to be backed by Iran and have previously launched missile and drone attacks against Saudi territory.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt maintain close political and security ties, with both countries viewing regional stability as a key concern. Egypt’s involvement would represent a significant development given its position as one of the Arab world’s major military powers.
However, direct support for Saudi Arabia in a conflict involving the Houthis could expose Cairo to additional security risks and deepen its involvement in the wider confrontation involving Iran and its regional allies.
Fighting between the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and much of the north, has escalated in recent weeks, becoming another front in the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Any Egyptian military backing for Saudi Arabia could mark a major escalation in the wider Iran war, which has threatened global energy supplies and sent oil prices soaring since the US and Israel attacked the Islamic Republic in late February.
Hours after an announcement on further discussions by the parliament, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in a post on X that he discussed regional developments and the importance of de-escalation during a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
Houthis ramp up attacks on Saudi
The Houthis have in recent days attacked Riyadh’s international airport and the state oil company Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with Saudi-backed forces. The Houthi advances threaten the strategic Bab el-Mandeb oil shipping route, following the collapse of a truce.
“Egypt will provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary and possible forms of support to defend its security and stability, protect its resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites,” the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The statement followed a meeting of Egypt’s National Defence Council chaired by Sisi and attended by the parliamentary speaker, the prime minister and the army chief.
Sisi said in a speech on Saturday that Egypt would act in accordance with guidance from Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited Sisi on September 15, after fighting in Yemen reignited.
If Egypt weighs in, it could face attacks by the Houthis, ragtag mountain fighters who have emerged as a deadly force of tens of thousands and whose missiles and drones threaten the region.
Arab countries, especially Gulf states hosting US bases, have faced repeated attacks by Iran and its allies, including the Houthis and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, during the conflict.
Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta came under a drone attack in July with no group claiming responsibility. Egypt has not blamed any party for the attack but said it was taking necessary measures to protect the country’s national security.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners. Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates provided Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central-bank deposits and investments after the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Sisi became president a year later.
Egypt had previously joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government against the Houthis, but played a limited combat role in the civil war.
Riyadh has turned to regional allies and Pakistan after it sought US President Donald Trump’s help to fight the Houthis. Trump did not agree to US strikes, sources told Reuters last month. Washington instead offered targeting assistance and intelligence-sharing.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday and met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with talks focusing on regional security, according to the Emirati state news agency.
The talks followed a visit to Riyadh last month by UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the first trip by a senior UAE official to the kingdom since a deep rift emerged between the two Gulf powers last year.
