Sisi seeks parliamentary mandate to support Saudi defence

Egypt’s parliament is due to meet on Sunday to consider the request. Any assistance would depend on Riyadh asking for it.

LAGOS — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called for an emergency parliamentary session to seek authorisation to respond to any Saudi request for defensive assistance. Parliament has scheduled a session for 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, to consider the request. The session is scheduled, but no decision has yet been made.

El-Sisi said Egypt could take measures to protect Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested help, stressing that any action would be defensive. His appeal does not mean Cairo has decided to deploy troops or take part directly in the conflict. Any assistance would depend both on parliamentary approval and a Saudi request.

The move comes amid Houthi attacks on Saudi targets and mounting pressure on security in the Red Sea. For Egypt, stability along the route also carries economic weight, Red Sea shipping is closely tied to traffic through the Suez Canal.

The Associated Press, citing unnamed regional officials, reported that Saudi Arabia had asked several countries, including Egypt, for air-defence support. Riyadh has not publicly confirmed the reported request, which should therefore be treated as information attributed to anonymous sources rather than an official Saudi position.

The parliamentary debate will offer an indication of how far Cairo is prepared to commit. El-Sisi’s statement signals political alignment with Riyadh; the form of any assistance, if requested, remains undecided.