Egypt's parliament authorizes military support for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

On October 26, 2026, Egypt's House of Representatives authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to deploy military support to Saudi Arabia following escalating Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities. Egyptian officials stressed that support will remain strictly defensive, ruling out direct attacks inside Yemen. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers cited missing operational details, and regional diplomats convened in Tehran to push for de-escalation.

Parliamentary authorization and constitutionality of deployment

• ▪Article 152 of Egypt's Constitution mandates that sending Egyptian armed forces on combat missions outside the country requires approval by a two-thirds majority of parliament
• ▪Egypt's House of Representatives voted by a two-thirds majority to authorize President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to send military support to Saudi Arabia
• ▪The Egyptian parliamentary vote authorizing military support for Saudi Arabia followed a request by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and a decision by Egypt's National Defense Council on October 18, 2026

Defensive scope and restrictions Of Egyptian Support

• ▪Egyptian Senate Speaker Essam Farid affirmed that Egypt's military support for Saudi Arabia is strictly defensive, acting as a protective shield rather than an attacking sword
• ▪Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Egyptian military officials ruled out deploying Egyptian forces to conduct offensive strikes inside Yemen
• ▪Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated that Egyptian military support would strictly defend Saudi Arabian territory, sovereignty, and Islamic holy sites against external attacks

Domestic Egyptian political opposition and criticisms

• ▪The Egyptian Social Democratic Party abstained from the parliamentary vote authorizing military support for Saudi Arabia, citing missing information regarding the mission's objectives, duration, financial costs, and risks to Egyptian soldiers
• ▪The Civil Democratic Movement, an Egyptian opposition coalition, rejected Egyptian military involvement in Saudi Arabia's regional conflict and called on Cairo to focus on diplomatic mediation
• ▪Egyptian lawmaker Medhat Rekaby al-Mansourawy stated that parliamentary discussions on Egypt's military deployment to support Saudi Arabia were surface-level without operational details

Yemeni positions on Egyptian military support

• ▪Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr, head of Yemen's Shura Council, sent a letter to Egypt's Senate speaker backing Egyptian military support on behalf of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council
• ▪Yemen's Houthi-backed parliamentary speaker Yahya Ali al-Rai urged Egypt to reject military support for Saudi Arabia, while Yemen's recognized government supported Egypt's intervention

Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and Red Sea trade

• ▪Houthi strikes near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait disrupted Red Sea maritime trade and severely reduced Egypt's Suez Canal revenues
• ▪Yemen's Houthi militia intensified attacks against Saudi Arabia in October 2026, striking Riyadh's international airport and state oil company Saudi Aramco facilities

Mecca mutual defense pact actions

• ▪Ministers from the Mecca mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey agreed during an emergency October 2026 meeting in Riyadh to ensure rapid deployment of forces and military capabilities to Saudi Arabia
• ▪Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the Mecca mutual defense pact in August 2026 to establish regional security cooperation
• ▪Egypt remained outside the Mecca mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey as of October 26, 2026, though Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty noted joining was under serious consideration

U.S. military role in Saudi defense

• ▪The United States provided Saudi Arabia with military support including intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, and aerial refueling for Saudi warplanes conducting defensive patrols
• ▪In September 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Saudi appeals for direct American military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen

Diplomatic efforts and de-escalation talks

• ▪Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conducted daily diplomatic communications with Iranian officials in October 2026 to advocate for regional de-escalation
• ▪UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on October 26, 2026, urging maximum restraint and diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis
• ▪Officials from the Mecca mutual defense pact countries of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey held diplomatic talks with Iranian leaders to de-escalate regional tensions