Egyptian President Offers to Defend Saudi Arabia as Egyptian Parliament Calls Emergency Session

Gulf News

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Sisi.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday that Egypt was prepared to take any measures necessary to defend Saudi Arabia if requested, amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Egypt’s parliament subsequently announced an emergency session for Sunday.

“It is inconceivable that we would allow Saudi Arabia, its security or stability to be harmed,” Sisi said during a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy. He stressed that Egypt was not seeking confrontation but was ready to act in defence.

The Houthis in Yemen have reportedly targeted Riyadh’s international airport and Saudi Aramco, the kingdom’s state-owned oil giant, in recent days. The attacks come amid renewed fighting with forces backed by Saudi Arabia and loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, following the collapse of a truce.

Sisi said Egypt would act in accordance with guidance from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince visited Sisi on 15 September, following the renewed fighting in Yemen, to discuss issues including regional security and navigation in the Red Sea.

Acknowledging that military action would require parliamentary approval, Sisi called for an emergency session to authorise any potential intervention if Saudi Arabia requested assistance.

Shortly afterwards, parliament announced that it would hold a plenary session at 1pm local time on Sunday, although it did not disclose the agenda.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia maintain close strategic and economic ties. Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf states provided Egypt with billions of dollars in financial assistance, central-bank deposits and investments following the military ousting of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Egypt also joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government against the Houthis.



PUKMEDIA