Like UK, France, Egypt joins Saudi Arabia-Houthi rebels war – Daily Trust

Egypt has introduced its choice to affix the continuing war between the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated on Wednesday that Cairo’s proposed navy help for Riyadh was to “defend Saudi territory, and does not include an attack on Yemen”.

At a authorities occasion titled Egypt Forum 2026, Sisi stated, “We are talking about defending the land and borders of the kingdom,” in a speech.

“The situation cannot bear any further instability in other countries; we want to restore the countries that have lost their stability,” he added.

Sisi on Saturday had requested parliament to authorise help for Saudi Arabia in its war with the Houthis, “if requested”.

The parliament, stacked with supporters of the president, has since held two uncommon secret periods earlier than suspending deliberations till subsequent week.

After the morning occasion by which Sisi made the speech, which was reported later, a high-level Egyptian delegation visited Riyadh, the dominion’s state information company reported.

Egypt’s prime diplomat Badr Abdelatty and spy chief Hassan Rashad delivered a letter from Sisi to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi press company stated.

The contents of the message weren’t reported.

In latest weeks, Houthi assaults on Saudi Arabia have reached an unprecedented scale, forcing Riyadh to close its primary airport and postpone a significant funding convention.

A Houthi maritime blockade can also be threatening oil exports from the dominion, the world’s greatest crude exporter.

Saudi Arabia has since rallied a present of help from its allies. French President Emmanuel Macron, on a shock ‘solidarity’ go to to the dominion on Wednesday, stated French troops would assist defend the important thing oil terminal of Yanbu on the Red Sea.

The day earlier than, the UK authorities introduced it could deploy British fighter jets to assist Saudi Arabia defend itself towards rising assaults.

Egypt’s tightrope

A handful of dissenting voices inside Egypt’s parliament have demanded “specific objectives and clear information” on any attainable deployment and an evaluation of the “potential risks to the lives of our soldiers”.

Direct navy involvement is unpopular within the Arab world’s most populous nation, whereas reminiscences of its final disastrous deployment in Yemen, within the Nineteen Sixties when 1000’s of troopers have been killed combating within the North Yemen civil war, stay alive.

That mission, below President Gamal Abdel Nasser, was later in comparison with the US war in Vietnam.

Riyadh is considered one of Cairo’s strongest allies, and a key monetary backer of Sisi’s administration because the former military chief ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

In his speech on Saturday, Sisi stated it was “inconceivable” for Cairo to face by as Riyadh’s safety and stability have been threatened, after the unconditional help the dominion gave Egypt within the early days of his administration.

Egypt joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015, contributing naval and air forces and deploying warships to the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

But over the previous decade, it has adopted an more and more conservative international coverage, prioritising its personal nationwide safety.

It has positioned itself as a regional mediator with channels open throughout battle strains, together with with Hamas, Israel and Iran.

Again on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Abdelatty stated Egypt’s international coverage was outlined by “wisdom and strategic balance”.

This week, Abdelatty has been in touch with Iran’s prime diplomat Abbas Araghchi, who has stated that Egypt’s potential involvement would make the state of affairs “more difficult”.

“Egypt has sufficient experience to avoid entangling itself in such a highly complex conflict,” Araghchi stated in an interview with Iraqi state broadcaster Al-Iraqiya aired on Tuesday.

Throughout this yr, as its Gulf allies have come below assault within the war between Iran and the US, Cairo has repeatedly preached warning.

The Arab world’s largest navy didn’t challenge a response even when its personal Damietta port was struck by an unidentified drone in July.

It has not joined the Mecca defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in August, which consultants stated was with a purpose to preserve its strategic autonomy.

Besides its shut alliance with the dominion, Egypt additionally has its personal financial woes to contemplate.

Along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt is hardest hit by disruptions via Bab al-Mandab, the southern gateway to its Suez Canal, revenues from which haven’t recovered since Houthi assaults started in 2023.