Egypt's parliament delays vote on backing Saudi Arabia after defence council approval

CAIRO — Egypt's parliament postponed on Sunday a vote on authorising defensive military support for Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters, hours after the National Defence Council approved support for the kingdom, the BBC reported.

Middle East Eye, citing Reuters, said the chamber will resume discussions on Monday. The vote followed an emergency session called to consider a request from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Defence council decision

The BBC said the National Defence Council on Sunday approved "all forms of support" for Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks by the Houthis. It described the step as part of Cairo completing the constitutional procedures needed for any action.

The Libya Akhbar website reported that the Egyptian presidency announced three decisions in support of Saudi Arabia. The material available to Zenga News does not set out what those decisions are, and they have not been independently confirmed here.

On Saturday, Sisi asked parliament to authorise "any necessary measures" to defend Saudi Arabia if it requests help, according to the BBC. He said Egypt would not stand by as a "spectator" while Saudi security was undermined. The BBC reported that he said any military involvement would be defensive and would not aim to launch an attack or a war.

Timing of the vote

A post on Al Arabiya's Telegram channel, which Zenga News has not verified, said parliament adjourned its emergency session and extended it by two days. Reuters, as cited by Middle East Eye, pointed to a resumption on Monday. The two accounts differ on the length of the extension.

Separately, Egypt's foreign minister spoke by phone with his Pakistani counterpart about efforts to reduce regional tensions, Middle East Eye reported.

The Shorouk News website carried a headline quoting a former deputy secretary of the National Defence Council, who said Egypt's support for Saudi Arabia would be limited to the defensive side. The full text was not available.

Reactions and analysis

The BBC spoke to several analysts. All of them ruled out sending Egyptian troops to fight inside Yemen, but they disagreed on the likely scale of other military support.

Ahmed Abu Doh of Chatham House said the move was not a radical shift in Egyptian foreign policy. He described it as a continuation of an approach that avoids broad military alliances while preserving strategic partnerships with Gulf states. He ruled out a repeat of Egypt's military intervention in Yemen in the 1960s.

Samir Ragheb, head of the Arab Foundation for Development and Strategic Studies, said Egypt could offer naval, air, air-defence and even special forces support inside Saudi territory. Tamer el-Shahawi, a former MP and security expert, said support could include intelligence sharing and logistical, training and technological help.

Abdullah Ghanem al-Qahtani, a former Saudi army major general, said the role needed from Egypt was mainly political. He said Saudi Arabia already has the capabilities and alliances to protect itself, including the "Mecca pact" for joint defence signed in August with Turkey and Pakistan, though it has not been activated.

Before the session, the speaker of the Houthi-aligned parliament in Yemen sent a message to Egypt's parliament.

"We categorically reject dragging Egypt into a battle that does not resemble its values." — Houthi-aligned Yemeni parliament speaker, as quoted by the BBC

Background

The BBC said Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified in recent weeks, including strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Aramco facilities. It said concern is growing over Red Sea shipping, trade and energy flows.

Ragheb told the BBC he believed Sisi's remarks followed understandings reached during a visit to Cairo by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in mid-September. The BBC also cited reports that US President Donald Trump rejected a Saudi request for US strikes on the Houthis. It said he later offered help with target identification and intelligence sharing. Those reports were not confirmed in the material reviewed.