Egyptian parliament votes to allow troops in Saudi Arabia

Egypt’s parliament voted on Monday to authorize President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to deploy troops to support Saudi Arabia, a move that places the country on the brink of direct military involvement in the escalating Gulf conflict. The House of Representatives, led by Speaker Hisham Badawi, passed the mandate after weeks of intensified attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces. These strikes have targeted Riyadh’s international airport and facilities owned by the state oil company Aramco, causing significant disruptions to commercial flights and crude oil shipments.

A parliamentary statement released to Reuters indicated that el-Sisi is now empowered to undertake necessary measures to assist Riyadh in its defense should the Saudi government formally request help. This decision follows closed-door discussions in Cairo and a previous delay in the vote. The legislative approval satisfies a constitutional requirement that two-thirds of members must consent before Egyptian forces engage in combat missions abroad. Egypt, a major economic partner for the Kingdom, has not conducted a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War, though it joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015 primarily with naval assets to secure shipping lanes.

Nawaf Obaid, a visiting senior research fellow at King’s College London, noted that Saudi officials sought explicit reassurance that Egypt would stand by the kingdom if needed. He described the vote as Cairo’s confirmation that it would be there, while acknowledging uncertainty about the specific nature of the assistance requested. The Houthi group, which controls Sanaa, is currently engaged in a fight against the Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized Yemeni government. This escalation has deepened an existing humanitarian crisis in the region.

President el-Sisi clarified on Wednesday that any Egyptian military action would focus strictly on protecting Saudi territory and borders rather than launching offensive strikes into Yemen. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who visited Riyadh earlier that week, stated that Cairo continues to prioritize a diplomatic resolution. The country has a direct financial interest in stabilizing the Red Sea, as Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb strait have already reduced revenue for the Suez Canal by disrupting global shipping routes.

In related diplomatic efforts, el-Sisi met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Cairo on Monday. The two leaders discussed regional tensions and strategies for peace. According to Egypt’s presidency, Guterres praised Cairo’s role in preventing further escalation in the Gulf. He suggested that diplomacy could address disputes regarding Iran’s nuclear program and shipping security.

Guterres took to social media on Monday to urge maximum restraint from all parties. He warned that additional fighting could spiral out of control. The next steps in the process remain tied to whether Riyadh issues a formal request for Egyptian military support.