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Egypt’s parliament has approved a mandate allowing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to take measures to provide defensive military support to Saudi Arabia if requested by Riyadh, Egyptian state media reports.
The decision comes amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi territory and follows days of parliamentary deliberations over Cairo’s potential military involvement.
Sisi sought parliamentary authorization on Oct. 17, pledging that Egypt would take the necessary measures to protect the kingdom’s security and territorial integrity. Egypt’s National Defense Council subsequently committed to providing Saudi Arabia with all necessary and possible support.
The decision followed a series of closed-door parliamentary meetings, including a third session on Monday chaired by Parliament Speaker Hisham Badawi. Lawmakers had held two earlier meetings last week at Sisi's request, with the vote postponed twice.
The scope of the approved assistance remains unclear, including whether it involves deploying Egyptian troops abroad.
Sisi had asked parliament last week to authorize military support if Saudi Arabia requested it. He stressed on Wednesday that any Egyptian involvement would focus on defending Saudi territory and would not extend to an attack on Yemen.
"We are talking about defending the land and borders of the kingdom," Sisi said in a speech, adding that a diplomatic solution remained the top priority.
Egypt's military is one of the largest in the Middle East and Africa, with an estimated 438,500 active personnel and 479,000 reservists.
Its air force operates a diverse fleet of combat aircraft, including French Rafale jets, U.S.-made F-16s and Russian MiG-29s, while its air defense forces use a mix of Russian and Western systems, including S-300, Buk-M2 and Tor-M2 platforms.
Alongside the parliamentary process, Egypt has stepped up diplomatic contacts aimed at easing regional tensions. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has consulted with the so-called R4, which includes members of the Mecca defense pact: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye. Cairo has not agreed to join the pact.
Abdelatty also said on Monday that he was "talking daily with the Iranians" to push for regional de-escalation.
Türkiye has also submitted its joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to parliament for ratification.
Signed in Mecca on Aug. 7, 2026, the pact commits the three countries to treating an external armed attack against any one of them as an attack against all, pledging mutual military assistance to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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