Cairo vows support for Riyadh as 2 Saudi officers killed in helicopter crash near Yemen

Egypt has pledged to provide Saudi Arabia with the necessary support to ensure its security and stability, according to the Egyptian presidency. Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting the Houthis, reported that two officers were killed when their helicopter crashed near the Yemen border. The rebels claimed they shot down the aircraft, but the coalition attributed the crash to a technical malfunction.

This is the first military fatality for the coalition since the conflict with the Houthis reignited in July. The incident occurred near the Yemen border, inside Saudi territory in the Najran Region. Earlier this week, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree alleged that the Saudi helicopter was downed by the rebel group. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had asked for an urgent parliament session to authorize military support for Saudi Arabia if requested.

Egypt's presidency announced that the country would provide all possible forms of assistance to defend Saudi Arabia's security, stability, resources, territorial integrity, and Islamic holy sites. The urgent session of parliament was scheduled for 1pm (3pm PKT) to vote on the authorization request. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, Dr. Badr Abdelatty, to strongly condemn the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and reaffirm their solidarity with the kingdom.

The four countries involved in the R-4 framework, including Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia, discussed cooperation and coordination on regional issues. Yemen's conflict has escalated once again, following an uneasy four-year truce. The Houthis have declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and captured territory near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a vital Red Sea export route for Saudi oil.

The Saudi-led coalition has launched air raids on Houthi territory to counter the attacks, while the Houthis have targeted various Saudi facilities, including tankers in the Red Sea and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.