Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Saturday evening that Egypt will take action to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requests assistance, calling on the Egyptian parliament to convene an emergency session to authorize the move formally. “It is inconceivable that we would allow any harm to come to Saudi Arabia, its security, or its stability,” Sisi stated during a graduation ceremony held at the Egyptian Military Academy.
1+According to reports, the Egyptian leader emphasized that his country harbors no offensive intent against any party, but remains “fully prepared to take defensive action.” Sisi noted the constitutional protocols involved, stating: “I know that this requires the formal approval of the Egyptian parliament, and I request that an emergency session be held.” After his public remarks, the Egyptian House of Representatives announced an extraordinary plenary session for Sunday at 1:00 PM, though it did not immediately release an official agenda.
The Egyptian president also said Cairo’s actions would align with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi Crown Prince previously met with Sisi on September 15, during which the two leaders held extensive consultations on maritime security and preserving commercial freedom of navigation across the Red Sea corridor following the resurgence of active hostilities in Yemen.
1+Sisi’s decisive declaration follows a recent wave of attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi state energy giant Aramco. The Houthi escalations come against the backdrop of renewed armed confrontations between the movement and forces of the internationally recognized government of Yemen—which is backed by Saudi Arabia—following the collapse of longstanding ceasefire arrangements.