Egypt approves military support for Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks escalate

Egypt's parliament has authorized the country's military to provide support to Saudi Arabia in response to escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthis, marking a potential escalation of Egypt's involvement in the regional conflict. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had requested the approval last week, citing the Houthis' advances that threaten the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway to Egypt's Suez Canal.

While Egypt has previously condemned Iranian and Iranian-backed attacks on Gulf countries and is a member of the Saudi-led anti-Houthi coalition, this is the first time the country has authorized military support directly. Egypt's foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, has expressed that the country's membership in the Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey defense pact remains under serious consideration.

The recent attacks include the Houthi assault on Riyadh's international airport and Saudi Aramco, disrupting flights and oil exports, and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Brief written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.