Egypt pledges support for Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate

Egypt is ready to provide Saudi Arabia with the support it needs to defend ​its security and stability, the presidency said on Sunday, as Yemen’s ‌Houthis intensify their attacks on the world’s largest oil exporter.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested an urgent parliament session to authorise the military, one of the Arab world’s largest, to ​help defend Saudi Arabia if the kingdom requested its support.

A parliamentary ​vote had been expected on authorising the request for military support ⁠on Sunday, but discussions were due to continue on Monday, two lawmakers and ​local media reports said.

Houthis ramp up attacks on Saudi Arabia

The Houthis have in ​recent days attacked Riyadh’s international airport and the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognised government following the collapse of a truce.

“Egypt will ​provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary and possible forms of support to defend ​its security and stability, protect its resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites,” the Egyptian ‌presidency ⁠said in a statement.

It followed a meeting of Egypt’s National Defence Council chaired by Sisi and attended by the parliamentary speaker, the prime minister and the army chief.

Sisi said in a speech on Saturday that Egypt would act in accordance with ​guidance from Saudi ​King Salman and ⁠Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited Sisi on September 15, after fighting in Yemen reignited.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia are ​close strategic and economic partners. Saudi Arabia and other ​oil-rich Gulf ⁠states provided Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central-bank deposits and investments after the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Egypt had previously joined the ⁠Saudi-led ​coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to ​support the government against the Houthis, but played a limited combat role.