Egypt pledges "all necessary support" to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate

CAIRO — Egypt's National Defence Council pledged "all necessary support" to Saudi Arabia on Sunday, after a meeting chaired by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to a statement from Egypt's State Information Service (SIS).

The council met at the presidential palace in Cairo. It said it was monitoring "dangerous" regional developments, in particular the escalation of attacks on Saudi Arabia, according to the SIS statement as reported by Indonesia's Antara news agency.

The statement expressed Egypt's "full solidarity" with the kingdom. It pointed to the historic ties between the two countries. It also said Saudi security is closely linked to Egypt's national security and to that of the wider Arab region.

What the council decided

The council said Egypt would give Saudi Arabia "all necessary support" to preserve its security and stability, protect its resources and territorial integrity, and safeguard Islam's holy sites, Antara reported.

It also decided to continue and step up political and diplomatic efforts with relevant regional and international partners. The stated aim is to ease tensions and resolve the current crisis peacefully.

According to Antara, the decision came as the Yemeni Houthi group continued to fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia. The agency's account of the SIS statement did not describe any specific military step by Egypt. It did not mention Iran.

The meeting was attended by senior political, military and security officials. Antara listed the speaker of parliament, the prime minister, the chief of staff, the foreign minister, the interior minister, the head of intelligence and the commander of the armed forces.

Antara also linked to two related reports. One said Yemen's army claimed to have retaken a strategic site from the Houthis. The other said Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi attack and asserted its right to defend its sovereignty. This report has not verified either item.

A columnist's reading

Arab News on Sunday published an opinion column by Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, a Saudi journalist. He is a former general manager of Al Arabiya and a former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. The column was headlined "Egypt enters the war". It is the author's view, not a statement of the Egyptian government.

Al-Rashed wrote that Cairo had "declared its readiness to participate" in the Gulf front against Iran and its proxies in Iraq and Yemen. He said Egypt had long been expected to take that step. He described it as a necessity for Egypt's own regional balance of power.

The columnist said he expected the Egyptian position to meet scepticism. He listed questions that critics might ask: why Cairo did not act 10 months ago, whether its position is linked to a Saudi financial deposit, and whether it is only a verbal pledge. He argued that the issue goes beyond financial considerations.

Al-Rashed also wrote that Egypt "has been directly targeted by projectiles" and had earlier been explicitly threatened by Iran-aligned groups in Yemen and Iraq. The SIS statement as reported by Antara does not mention any attack on Egypt. Zenga News has not independently confirmed the claim.

He said the timing might reflect an effort to leave room for negotiations and reconciliation. He added that Cairo may also have wanted to avoid appearing to join Washington in a united front against Iran. These are his interpretations. The sources do not show Egyptian officials giving such reasons.

Economic argument

The column cited economic reasons for Egypt's stance. Al-Rashed wrote that Egypt has lost foreign currency revenue for three years because of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. He said international estimates put the loss at about $6 billion a year in Suez Canal revenues. He wrote that this cost exceeds the combined effects of the wars in Libya, Sudan and Gaza.

He said the greater economic risk comes from the war's effect on Egyptians working in the Gulf. According to the column, more than 5 million Egyptians work in five Gulf states. He wrote that their jobs and incomes could be disrupted if the war continues and oil and gas exports from those countries fall. Zenga News has not verified these figures.

Al-Rashed also wrote that the rise of Iran as a dominant Gulf power would reduce Egypt's influence and threaten its national security. He said Tehran had previously tried to support the Muslim Brotherhood after it came to power in Egypt. He wrote that Iran could try to interfere in Egyptian affairs again.

What remains unclear

The sources do not say whether Egypt plans to send forces, share intelligence, or provide other material help to Saudi Arabia. Al-Rashed himself wrote that whether Egypt's participation will change the military balance "will depend on the nature and scale of its involvement, which remains to be seen."

The sources contain no comment from Saudi Arabia, the Houthis or Iran on the Egyptian council's decision. They also do not say whether Egypt has taken any step beyond the council's announcement.

Background

Antara reported the council's decision against a backdrop of continuing Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia. Al-Rashed's column describes a wider conflict in which Iran and groups aligned with it face a Gulf front. It refers to a period roughly 10 months earlier when Egypt did not take part. The sources do not give further detail on that earlier period.

Al-Rashed wrote that President Sisi's government has "never been enthusiastic about going to war". He argued that conflicts in the Gulf have placed Egypt on the front line against its will. This is a characterisation by the columnist.