Egypt Parliament Approves $0 Direct Cost Mandate for Saudi Defense

Egypt's parliament granted President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the authority to deploy military assets to defend Saudi Arabia on Monday. The vote authorizes Cairo to provide support if Riyadh requests help against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. This decision marks a shift from diplomatic condemnation to operational readiness for the Arab world's most populous state.

The authorization covers the defense of Saudi territory and borders. It does not grant a mandate to attack Yemen. President al-Sisi requested this parliamentary approval last week. The move aims to protect the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway to the Suez Canal. The Houthi advances in the region threaten this strategic waterway directly.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and intelligence chief Hassan Rashad traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday. They delivered a letter from Sisi to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Abdelatty stated that Cairo advocates exploring every opportunity to resolve the Yemen conflict diplomatically. The Saudi crown prince visited Cairo on September 15 to discuss security and navigation in the Red Sea.

Egypt has maintained a military presence in the region for over a decade. In March 2015, Cairo joined the Saudi-led coalition as a naval partner. The country sent warships to secure Red Sea shipping lanes and pledged air support. It also deployed approximately 800 ground troops, though they played a limited combat role. Egypt has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.

Saudi Arabia serves as a major political and financial partner for Cairo. The Gulf kingdom provides billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits, and energy supplies. In return, Egypt has frequently condemned Iranian-backed attacks on Gulf countries. However, Cairo has not publicly engaged in direct combat until now. It has also not joined the Mecca mutual defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey in August.

Abdelatty said this month that Egyptian membership in the pact remains under serious consideration. The current escalation has turned the fighting into a volatile front in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Houthi forces have struck Riyadh's international airport and state oil giant Saudi Aramco. These attacks have disrupted flights and oil exports while aid agencies warn of worsening humanitarian conditions in Yemen.