Egypt approves air support for Saudi Arabia

Egyptian lawmakers voted on Monday to give President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi the power to send military aid to Saudi Arabia. The measure allows Egypt to help defend the kingdom against attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The parliament stated the vote authorizes el-Sissi to take necessary measures to support Saudi sovereignty against external aggression.

A regional official briefed on the matter said Egypt will deploy air defense systems and aircraft. These assets aim to repel missiles and drones targeting Saudi territory. The official specified that the support is strictly defensive and will not involve ground troops in Yemen. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to address reporters directly.

The government did not provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed assistance. This lack of clarity prompted questions from lawmakers about the nature and extent of the commitment. The opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party announced its 11-member parliamentary bloc would abstain from the vote. The party cited insufficient information regarding the mission’s objectives, scope, duration, and costs. They also raised concerns about risks to Egyptian troops and called for prioritizing diplomacy to avoid open-ended military commitments.

The vote was originally scheduled for last week but was delayed after two days of deliberations. Growing wariness among Egyptians about entering Yemen’s long-running conflict drove the pause. Because the debates were held in closed sessions, it was not immediately clear how the discussions unfolded. The chamber is overwhelmingly dominated by pro-government lawmakers, who did not release a vote breakdown.

El-Sissi sought to reassure the public that Egypt would not attack Yemen. He stated that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory. "I have heard a great deal of talk suggesting that we are preparing to launch an attack on Yemen, or something to that effect. That is certainly not the case," he said in comments last week. He added that Egypt has not engaged in cooperation aimed at combat operations beyond the borders of cooperating countries.

Earlier this month, Egypt’s National Defense Council pledged to provide all necessary forms of support to Saudi Arabia. The council, chaired by el-Sissi, said the goal was to defend Saudi security and stability while safeguarding its resources and territorial integrity. The council also committed to increasing diplomatic efforts to find a settlement to the conflict. El-Sissi said at the time that Egypt would carry out any measure to protect Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that the focus was on defense rather than attack.

Saudi Arabia is a major financial backer of Egypt, providing billions of dollars in aid and investments since 2013. Remittances from Egyptians working in the kingdom also serve as a major source of foreign currency for Cairo. The current decision evokes memories of Egypt’s involvement in the Yemen civil war in the 1960s, when President Gamal Abdel Nasser deployed tens of thousands of troops to support republican forces. In 2015, Egypt sent naval vessels to the Red Sea to support the Saudi-led coalition but did not deploy ground troops.