Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday that Cairo would take any measures necessary to defend Saudi Arabia if asked, as Houthi attacks on the kingdom continue to escalate.
“It is inconceivable that we would allow Saudi Arabia, its security or stability to be harmed,” Sisi said at a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo.
He added that Egypt was not seeking to attack anyone but was prepared to act in defence, in line with guidance from Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Egyptian leader said the move would require parliamentary approval and asked for an emergency session so lawmakers could grant that authorisation.
Parliament subsequently announced a plenary session at 1pm on Sunday in response to the request, though it did not disclose the agenda.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have in recent days attacked Riyadh’s international airport and the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognised government after the collapse of a truce.
On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted four drones in the preceding hours over Riyadh, the Eastern Province and the south, Reuters reported.
Egypt is a longstanding member of the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015, though its role has largely centred on Red Sea maritime security.
The two countries are close strategic and economic partners, with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states providing Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central bank deposits and investments after the 2013 ouster of president Mohamed Morsi.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Sisi on September 15, after fighting in Yemen reignited, to discuss security and navigation in the Red Sea, according to Reuters.
The repeated strikes have prompted foreign embassies to warn their citizens against using Saudi airports or travelling to the country altogether.
Read our earlier report: Riyadh Airport Strike: Pakistani Killed, 11 Injured.
