Egypt approves military aid to defend Saudi Arabia
Parliament voted Monday to allow Cairo to support Riyadh against Houthi attacks, marking a shift in Egypt's regional military role.
By Jonathan Cooper ·
Egyptian parliament voted on Monday to authorize the military to provide support for the defense of Saudi Arabia. The vote allows Cairo to respond if Riyadh requests help against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested this approval last week. He asked lawmakers to clear the way for Egypt to defend its Gulf ally and the world's largest oil exporter. The Houthis have intensified attacks on the kingdom. Their advances also threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This waterway serves as a gateway to Egypt's Suez Canal.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said this month that Egypt is seriously considering joining the Mecca mutual defense pact. That agreement was signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Egypt has condemned Iranian-backed attacks in the region but has not joined direct combat previously.
Abdelatty and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday. They delivered a letter from Sisi to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sisi stated that Egyptian support would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders. He said the military would not launch attacks on Yemen.
Abdelatty said Cairo wants to explore every opportunity to resolve the Yemen conflict diplomatically. The Houthis recently struck Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco. These attacks have disrupted flights and oil exports. Aid agencies warn that conditions in Yemen are worsening. The country faces one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Egypt joined the Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition in March 2015. It served mainly as a naval partner and sent warships to secure Red Sea shipping lanes. The country also deployed about 800 ground troops but played a limited combat role. Egypt has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.
Saudi Arabia provides billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits, and energy supplies to Egypt. The two leaders discussed Red Sea security during a visit by the Saudi crown prince to Cairo on September 15.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
