Sisi: Egypt ready to defend Saudi Arabia “if asked” – parliament convened in emergency session to authorise it

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said on Saturday that his country will take “any measure” to protect and defend Saudi Arabia, if Riyadh asks for it, and called on the Egyptian parliament to meet in emergency session to give the necessary authorisation. Sisi spoke at the graduation ceremony of the first class of the Egyptian Military Academy in the New Administrative Capital, which was also recorded by the Egyptian presidency. The House of Representatives set a plenary session for Sunday, October 18, at 13:00 local time, “in light of the president’s request”.

“Egypt, in accordance with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will carry out any measure to protect and defend you,” the Egyptian president said, addressing the Saudi leadership. He added that Egypt is “not looking for a role”, but cannot allow the security or stability of the kingdom to be harmed. “I know this requires the approval of the Egyptian parliament and I hope it will meet in an emergency session to give us this authorisation, if we are asked,” he said, clarifying that he is speaking “only about defence” and not about an attack on anyone.

The statement comes after weeks of Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports and facilities, among them the strike on Riyadh’s King Khalid airport, with 12 dead and 309 injured in the first toll. The UN Security Council, in a presidential statement on October 15, condemned the attacks and confirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defence. Saudi Arabia already has a defence pact with Pakistan and Turkey, the so-called “Mecca Alliance”, from which Egypt was left out in August.

The UAE return to Yemen

The same day, The Guardian revealed, citing sources in Yemen, that the United Arab Emirates have agreed to return to the conflict, resuming payments to government forces fighting the Houthis in the south, chiefly the Giants Brigades. In return, Saudi Arabia reportedly agreed to provide them with air cover. Neither Abu Dhabi nor Riyadh has confirmed the agreement.

The Emirates had withdrawn their forces from operations in Yemen in January 2026, after the rift with Riyadh over the role of the southern separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). The government in Aden began a counteroffensive towards Sanaa last week with limited results, while the Houthis press on in Taiz and Marib. The United Nations counts more than 200,000 displaced people since August.