Egypt authorizes Al Sisi to send troops to defend Saudi Arabia

The Parliament of Egypt authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi this Monday to take the necessary measures to provide military support to Saudi Arabia, amid the escalation of attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against strategic infrastructure in Saudi territory.

The decision was adopted during an extraordinary session held behind closed doors, in which lawmakers approved the request submitted by the Egyptian president on October 17 to offer defensive military assistance to his regional ally.

Through a statement published on the social network X, the Legislature reported that the authorization will allow the president to coordinate actions with Saudi authorities to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty and security.

The measure received the backing of two-thirds of the lower house, in accordance with legal requirements, although the exact number of deputies who voted in favor was not disclosed.

Egypt could deploy troops to Saudi Arabia

Although the full content of the parliamentary authorization was not disclosed, independent deputy Mustafa Bakry assured that the decision includes the possibility of sending Egyptian military personnel to Saudi Arabia if circumstances require it.

The legislator explained that any deployment must be carried out through coordination between both governments.

Bakry also maintained that the security of the two nations is closely linked and considered that any threat against Saudi Arabia represents a risk to Egypt.

The Egyptian Constitution establishes, in its article 152, that the president cannot declare war or send military forces on combat missions outside the national territory without consulting the National Defense Council and obtaining the approval of Parliament.

The Egyptian legislature is composed of a lower house of 596 deputies and a 300-member Senate. However, the latter has consultative functions and its approval is not necessary to authorize the measure.

Houthi attacks raise tension in the Middle East

The parliamentary authorization comes as Saudi Arabia faces a series of attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, targeting energy facilities, airports, and other civilian infrastructure.

According to reports, these actions have caused dozens of deaths and injuries over the last few weeks, in addition to disruptions in the operation of the kingdom’s strategic facilities.

Given this scenario, the Saudi authorities are seeking to strengthen their defense alliances to respond to threats against their territory.

For Egypt, the situation also represents a direct concern due to the importance of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for international navigation.

This route connects to the Suez Canal, one of the main sources of income for the Egyptian state and a fundamental corridor for global maritime trade.

Houthi threats against shipping could affect the transit of goods and generate economic consequences for the African country.

Egypt maintains a historic alliance with Saudi Arabia

The cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia covers political, military, and economic aspects, which explains the importance that both governments place on their joint security.

Saudi Arabia is among Cairo’s main financial allies, through investments and economic support in a context marked by Egypt’s high external debt.

In addition, remittances sent by Egyptian workers residing in Persian Gulf countries constitute an important source of foreign currency for the national economy.

If a large-scale military deployment were to materialize, it would be the first intervention of that magnitude outside of Egyptian territory since the 1991 Gulf War.

However, Egypt has a history of military involvement in Yemen during the 1960s and cooperation with the Saudi-led coalition since 2015.

In this latest operation, its participation was mainly focused on naval tasks aimed at protecting navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

So far, Egyptian authorities have not announced the actual deployment of troops nor have they specified the scope of the military measures that could be adopted following the parliamentary authorization.