Egypt has pledged to provide "all necessary and possible forms of support" to Saudi Arabia to protect its security, stability, resources and territorial integrity. The decision was made at a meeting of the National Defense Council chaired by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo.
The council expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and defined the kingdom's security as inextricably linked to Egyptian and Arab national security. The decision explicitly includes the protection of Islamic holy sites.
At the same time, Cairo announced that it would step up political and diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region and find peaceful solutions to crises. The official decision did not indicate that Egypt was already sending troops or launching a military operation.
Parliament discusses Sisi's request
The Egyptian parliament was convened for an emergency session at the request of al-Sisi. Lawmakers are to discuss authorizing the provision of defense assistance to Saudi Arabia if Riyadh makes a formal request. The session began on Sunday, but no official decision to send Egyptian forces has been confirmed so far.
A day earlier, the president said that Egypt would not allow a threat to Saudi Arabia's security. "We will take every measure to protect Saudi Arabia," al-Sisi said, linking any possible action to the instructions of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified
Cairo's decision comes amid a new escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. In recent days, the group has attacked targets in the kingdom, including Riyadh's international airport and facilities of the oil company “Saudi Aramco“, international media reported.
The fighting resumed after the collapse of the ceasefire and the renewed offensive of the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognized Yemeni government against the Houthis. The Saudi side states that the attacks threaten its security and civilian infrastructure, while the Houthis warn against direct Egyptian military intervention.
The next step depends on the decision of the Egyptian parliament and on whether Saudi Arabia will request specific assistance. Until then, Cairo's officially confirmed position is for full political support, readiness for defense assistance and parallel diplomatic efforts to limit the conflict.
Sources: apnews.com, aljazeera.com, thenationalnews.com