Egyptian Parliament Grants Sissi Power to Deploy Air Defense to Saudi Arabia
The vote authorizes the deployment of aircraft and air defense systems to counter Houthi missiles, a move opposed by the Social Democratic Party.
By Christopher Singh ·
Egypt’s parliament voted on Monday to authorize President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to provide military support to Saudi Arabia. The vote grants the president authority to take measures to defend Saudi territory against attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The chamber did not release a breakdown of the vote, which was held behind closed doors. Pro-government lawmakers dominate the parliament.
A regional official briefed on the matter stated that Egypt will deploy air defense systems and aircraft. The purpose of this deployment is to repel missiles and drones fired at Saudi Arabia. The official confirmed that the support is defensive in nature. No ground troops will be sent to Yemen.
The vote was originally scheduled for the previous week. Two days of deliberations delayed the decision as wariness grew among Egyptians regarding an intervention in Yemen’s long-running conflict. The debates were not open to the public, leaving the specifics of the discussions unclear. Lawmakers questioned the nature and extent of the proposed assistance because the government did not provide specific details.
The Egyptian Social Democratic Party announced that its 11-member parliamentary bloc would abstain from the vote. The party cited insufficient information regarding the mission’s objectives, scope, duration, and costs. It also raised concerns about risks to Egyptian troops. The party called for prioritizing diplomacy to avoid open-ended military commitments.
President el-Sissi has sought to reassure the public that Egypt will not attack Yemen. He stated that the military support is limited to defending Saudi territory. "We have not engaged in any cooperation aimed at conducting combat operations beyond the borders," he said last week. He added that the focus remains on the defense of the kingdom’s territory and its borders.
Egypt’s National Defense Council pledged earlier this month to provide all necessary forms of support to Saudi Arabia. The council, chaired by el-Sissi, stated that Egypt would also increase diplomatic efforts to find a settlement to the conflict. Saudi Arabia is a major financial backer of Egypt, providing billions of dollars in aid and investments since 2013. Remittances from Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia also represent a major source of foreign currency for Cairo.
The announcement of support for Saudi Arabia has evoked memories of Egypt’s involvement in the Yemeni civil war in the 1960s. That conflict began in 1962 after a coup against King Muhammad al-Badr. President Gamal Abdel Nasser deployed tens of thousands of troops to North Yemen. The intervention lasted a decade and was widely regarded as a strain on the Egyptian military and economy.
