Cairo, 26 October. Egypt's House of Representatives, in a closed session, authorised President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi "to take the necessary measures to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", the state newspaper Al-Ahram reported: the measure concerns possible military help against the Houthis.
"Parliament approved authorising President El Sisi to send forces to Saudi Arabia if required, and after co-ordination between the two countries," MP Mostafa Bakry, who is close to the government, wrote on X. It was the third closed session in nine days: MPs discussed the issue on 18 and 19 October and postponed the vote. No formal Saudi request for help has been announced.
The vote was needed because of Article 152 of Egypt's constitution: the president is supreme commander but cannot send troops on a combat mission abroad without consulting the National Defence Council and securing the approval of two-thirds of MPs. Sisi asked for the mandate on 17 October at a Military Academy graduation: "It is inconceivable that we would allow Saudi Arabia, its security or stability to be harmed." On 21 October he said any Egyptian military effort would be limited to defending the kingdom's territory and borders and would not include attacks on Yemen.
What it means: Egypt has gained the legal right to enter the conflict in the Gulf, but for now only as a defensive option: troops would go if Riyadh formally asks.
Who benefits: Saudi Arabia gains another major ally in case the war widens. Egypt strengthens its alliance with Riyadh; the Houthis also threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the route to Egypt's Suez Canal.
Background: Egypt has not undertaken a large-scale foreign ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War, and in the 1960s paid dearly for intervening in Yemen's war. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan are bound by the Mecca joint defence pact; on 26 October their representatives held security talks in Tehran.
We have also reported that Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye were heading to Tehran for security talks.
