Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi requested parliamentary approval to authorize defensive military support for Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks from Yemen escalate against Saudi infrastructure. The National Defence Council pledged full assistance following deadly strikes on Riyadh and a Saudi helicopter crash that killed two officers. Cairo faces severe economic risks, including an $11 billion loss in Suez Canal revenue, while Iran offered mediation to resolve the conflict.
Egyptian consideration of military support for Saudi Arabia
- ▪Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi requested an emergency parliamentary session on October 18, 2026, to vote on authorizing military support for Saudi Arabia if requested by Riyadh
- ▪On October 18, 2026, the Egyptian National Defence Council announced that Egypt is ready to provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary support to defend its security and territorial integrity
- ▪Yahya al-Rai, speaker of the Houthi-aligned parliament, sent a letter on October 17, 2026 urging Egyptian lawmakers to reject military support for Saudi Arabia
- ▪Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated on October 17, 2026 that any Egyptian military assistance to Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks would be strictly defensive
Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabian targets
- ▪An October 2026 Houthi strike on Riyadh's international airport killed 13 people, marking the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in over a decade
- ▪On October 18, 2026, the Saudi-led military coalition intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles targeting Khamis Mushait and three Houthi drones over Riyadh and the Eastern Province
- ▪Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian infrastructure and military targets have killed at least 19 people since the Yemen conflict reignited in July 2026
Saudi helicopter crash near Yemen border
- ▪Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki attributed the October 18, 2026 helicopter crash near the Yemen border to a technical malfunction
- ▪Two Saudi officers were killed on October 18, 2026, when an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in Saudi Arabia's Najran Region near the Yemen border
- ▪Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed on October 17, 2026 that Houthi forces shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter in the Najran region
September 2026 summit between Sisi and MBS
- ▪Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on September 15, 2026, to discuss regional security following renewed fighting in Yemen
- ▪During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's September 2026 Cairo visit, Egyptian and Saudi leaders jointly called for free and secure navigation in the Red Sea
Saudi defense pacts with regional partners
- ▪In September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, pledging that an attack on either nation would be treated as aggression against both
- ▪Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Makkah Defence Alliance on August 7, 2026, establishing mutual defense commitments that Egypt is currently studying
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