Egypt’s president says country ready to defend Saudi Arabia ‘if requested’

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday said Egypt was ready to defend Saudi Arabia “if requested”, as fighting flares between the kingdom and Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Since Yemen’s war reignited in July, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi targets, including energy facilities and Riyadh’s international airport, where 13 people were killed in a single attack last week.

The Houthis have also blockaded the Bab al-Mandab Strait, piling pressure on energy exports as Iran presses its own blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian military academy, Sisi said Egypt was “not looking for a role to play” in regional conflicts, but added that it was “inconceivable” for Cairo to stand by while Saudi Arabia was “harmed or its security and stability threatened”.

“Egypt, of course, with the directives of His Majesty King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will carry out any measure to protect you or defend you,” he said.

He added that any deployment would require parliamentary approval and said he hoped lawmakers would convene in an emergency session to grant authorisation “if it is requested of us”.

“I’m not talking about fighting anyone or attacking anyone,” Sisi said. “We are speaking only about defence.”

During a visit to Egypt last month, de facto Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman and Sisi called for free and secure navigation in the Red Sea, a vital trade route.

The conflict with the Houthis poses risks not only to Saudi Arabia’s security and energy exports, but also to Egypt, where disruption to Red Sea shipping could further reduce revenues from the Suez Canal, a key source of foreign currency.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said last month that Egypt’s Suez Canal lost about $11 billion in revenues since the Houthis began attacking commercial vessels following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Despite its longstanding military ties with Gulf states, Egypt has not joined the Mecca agreement, a mutual defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in August, with Cairo generally favouring diplomacy over participation in regional military alliances.

Saudi Arabia has long been a key backer of Egypt, providing financial support after the 2013 ouster of Islamist late president Mohammed Morsi and during subsequent economic crises.