CAIRO, October 19, 2026 — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested an urgent parliamentary session to authorize military support for Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters. The move marks a potential shift in the regional balance against the Houthis.
Parliamentary Authorization and Regional Security
According to Reuters, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi requested an urgent parliamentary session to authorize military support for Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian presidency stated it would provide support to protect Saudi security, territorial integrity, and holy sites, according to Reuters. Parliamentary discussions regarding the deployment were expected to continue through Monday, according to two lawmakers and local media reports cited by Reuters.
The statement followed a meeting of Egypt’s National Defence Council chaired by Sisi and attended by the parliamentary speaker, the prime minister and the army chief, according to Reuters. Sisi said in a speech on Saturday that Egypt would act in accordance with guidance from Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited Sisi on September 15, according to Reuters. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners, according to Reuters.
Houthi Escalation and Strategic Waterways
The Houthis have recently intensified attacks on Saudi airports and state oil company Saudi Aramco, according to Reuters. Houthi forces currently control coastline along the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, according to reporting cited by Iran International. Intelligence reports indicate Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers are on the front lines in Yemen helping direct drone and missile attacks, according to the Wall Street Journal cited by Iran International.
The Houthis launched a major offensive in early September, seizing the port city of Mokha, according to reporting cited by Iran International. Houthi missile and drone attacks have threatened aviation and trade routes already disrupted by the Strait of Hormuz conflict, according to analysts cited by Iran International. The group launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed and United Nations-recognized Presidential Leadership Council on September 3, according to historical records.
Wider Regional Conflict and Diplomatic Contacts
Any Egyptian military involvement could mark a major escalation in the wider war involving Iran, according to Reuters. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed regional developments and the importance of de-escalation during a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, according to a post on X cited by Reuters. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation foreign ministers meeting in Baghdad on Saturday, according to Iran International.
Arab countries, especially Gulf states hosting United States bases, have faced repeated attacks by Iran and its allies, including the Houthis and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, during the conflict, according to Reuters. Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta came under a drone attack in July with no group claiming responsibility, and Egypt has not blamed any party for the attack while taking measures to protect national security, according to Reuters.
Iranian Military Integration and Houthi Tactics
Intelligence reports indicate that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers are on the front lines in Yemen helping direct drone and missile attacks, according to the Wall Street Journal cited by Iran International. People briefed on regional intelligence said IRGC officers inside Yemen had helped the Houthis deploy missiles and radars threatening the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, according to the Wall Street Journal. The assistance includes help targeting drone and missile attacks, as well as training, intelligence and tactical guidance, according to the report.
Danny Citrinowicz, a former head of the Iran branch for Israeli defense intelligence, said the operational relationship between Tehran and the Houthis was “very, very strong,” describing the relationship as strategic cooperation rather than a simple patron-client arrangement, according to Iran International. A UN panel of experts found in 2024 that the Houthis had established joint operations rooms in Lebanon and Iraq to coordinate activities, according to the report. Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti rejected allegations of Iranian military involvement, saying such claims exaggerated Tehran’s role and ignored the group’s own development of its capabilities, according to Iran International.
Sources
- Live Updates: Latest from Israel, Iran, and the Middle East | The Jerusalem Post
- Iran, Egypt foreign ministers meet on sidelines of OIC meeting in Baghdad
- Egypt says ready to back Saudi Arabia in war against Iran-allied Houthis
Photo: وكالة الأنباء السعودية (CC BY-SA 4.0)
