Egypt Backs Saudi Defense but Rejects Offensive Operations in Yemen
CAIRO — Egypt will stand behind Saudi Arabia if the kingdom’s territory or borders come under attack, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said Wednesday, but he ruled out Egyptian military participation in strikes against Yemen as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels step up attacks on Saudi targets.
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The remarks come as tensions mount across the Middle East, heightening concerns about regional stability and the security of global energy supplies.
El-Sissi said Egypt could likewise assist other Arab countries in defending their territory if they formally requested help. Any such involvement, he emphasized, would focus on protecting national territory and security—not offensive action against neighboring states.
His comments followed a meeting in Riyadh between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia’s state-run news agency, SPA, said Abdelatty carried a written message from el-Sissi to King Salman. The talks addressed efforts to deepen bilateral ties and the latest developments across the region.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the message underscored Cairo’s complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for the kingdom’s security and stability.
Egyptian lawmakers said Monday that parliament had postponed until Oct. 26 a vote on whether to authorize the armed forces to assist Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requests it.
Any direct Egyptian military support for Saudi Arabia could represent a major escalation in the broader confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The conflict has put energy supplies at risk and pushed oil prices higher since U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran began in February.
Meanwhile, violence in Yemen has intensified in recent weeks, creating another possible front in the wider conflict. A Saudi-led coalition backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis, who hold Sanaa, the capital, and large areas of the country’s north.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia maintain close strategic and economic ties, supported by extensive military, diplomatic and commercial cooperation.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, provided Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits and investments after the Egyptian military removed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. El-Sissi, who headed the military at the time, was elected president the following year.
Egypt previously took part in the Saudi-led coalition’s 2015 intervention in Yemen, which aimed to support the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. Egyptian forces, however, played only a limited combat role.
The latest statements indicate that Cairo is trying to assure Riyadh of its backing while clearly separating the defense of Saudi territory from offensive operations inside Yemen.
Egypt’s position reflects the pressure facing governments across the region as they respond to attacks and changing military alignments without triggering a wider escalation in a conflict that has already unsettled energy markets and threatened stability throughout the Middle East.
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