The headquarters of the Saudi oil company Saudi Aramco in Dhahran, in eastern Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 14, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
Egypt’s parliament will hold an extraordinary plenary session on Sunday at the request of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who is seeking authorization to intervene in defense of Saudi Arabia should Riyadh request assistance, Al-Arabiya reported Saturday.
Since early October, Saudi Arabia has faced near-daily attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen, which have killed at least 14 people and injured more than 320. Riyadh has also launched airstrikes against the Houthis but has been unable to halt their advance in southwestern Yemen.
The session will focus on the evolving regional situation and Egypt’s position on protecting Saudi Arabia’s security and stability. On Saturday, Sissi called on parliament to authorize him to take whatever measures Riyadh might request to defend the kingdom.
’’We will take whatever measures are necessary to protect Saudi Arabia, and I call on parliament to hold an extraordinary session to authorize this action if we are so requested,’’ he said.
The request does not mean Egyptian military intervention is imminent, but indicates that Cairo could consider such action if Saudi Arabia asks for assistance.
Sissi’s request follows earlier statements in which he said that any threat to Saudi Arabia would also affect Egypt’s national security and that of the Gulf states. He stressed that the two countries were at the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, adding that ‘‘any harm to one would have repercussions on the other.’’
Gulf security inseparable from Egypt’s
In an address on Wednesday, Sissi said Egypt would not accept any threat to Saudi Arabia’s security or borders, stressing that Gulf security was an integral part of Egypt’s national security.
According to the Egyptian presidency, Sissi also rejected any threat to the security of the Red Sea and international maritime routes. He identified Saudi Arabia’s stability and regional de-escalation as priorities for Cairo, warning that ongoing geopolitical upheavals in the region would have repercussions for the countries involved, Al-Ahram Online reported.
Ongoing coordination with Riyadh
The Egyptian initiative builds on existing cooperation between Cairo and Riyadh. During talks in Cairo in September, Sissi expressed support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia to safeguard its security and stability.
Egypt has also condemned Houthi attacks against the kingdom. The two countries continue to coordinate diplomatically, particularly on Red Sea maritime security and regional crises.