Egypt Authorizes Conditional Defense Support for Saudi Arabia

Egypt’s parliament approved a mandate on October 26 authorizing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requests assistance, opening the way for a possible military role but not deploying troops. The authorization allows Sisi to take measures to support and defend the kingdom amid Houthi attacks and regional security threats. Any assistance would be conditional on a Saudi request. The exact assets, scale and timing of possible support have not been publicly specified, and no formal Saudi request identifying the assistance needed has been publicly confirmed. Sisi has said Egypt’s role would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders, rather than attacking Yemen. The mandate therefore grants authority for potential defensive assistance, not an announced Egyptian operation inside the country. A specific deployment would require coordination between Cairo and Riyadh. The vote followed a presidential request for parliamentary approval and two earlier sessions on October 18 and 19. Under Article 152 of Egypt’s Constitution, sending combat forces abroad requires consultation with the National Defence Council and approval by at...