Egypt’s top security body agrees to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against Houthi attacks

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's top security body announced on Sunday it would aid close ally Saudi Arabia in the escalating conflict between the kingdom and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, signaling the latest battleground in the Iran war. Egypt's National Defense Council resolved to offer "all possible forms of support" to Saudi Arabia to safeguard its security, though the specifics were not disclosed.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi urged parliament to grant him authorization for deploying troops and military assets overseas. The surge in hostilities has put civilians in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen at risk, triggering a return to civil war. The Yemeni capital of Aden witnessed its airport and government palace targeted within the past week.

On Sunday, an airstrike claimed at least nine lives, including five children and two women, in Yemen's rebel-controlled Saada province, according to Houthi-run Health Ministry. No official response from the kingdom was immediately provided. The Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite channel presented footage of individuals clearing debris, pulling two young survivors from the rubble.

The rebels claimed that Saudi-led forces had caused the deaths or injuries of over 30 individuals in the preceding 24 hours. The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, asserted that 110 missiles or airstrikes targeted civilian locations in Sanaa and other cities. The AP was unable to independently confirm these allegations.

Across the border in Saudi Arabia, a Saudi helicopter gunship crashed near the city of Najran, resulting in the loss of its two-member crew due to a technical malfunction. The rebels alleged responsibility for downing the aircraft, but later, Saudi Civil Defense authorities reported a Houthi projectile striking a residential area in Najran province, wounding six people. Both sides have traded accusations, and a call for mediation has been made.