CAIRO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's National Defense Council, at a meeting chaired by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Sunday, decided to provide Saudi Arabia with "all necessary and possible forms of support" to safeguard the kingdom's security, while pledging to intensify diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Riyadh and Yemen's Houthi group.
Egypt's decision, analysts say, stems from concerns that regional insecurity could spill over to its interests, and Cairo may offer defense support to Riyadh while steering clear of direct involvement in the conflict.
SHARED SECURITY INTERESTS
El-Sisi on Saturday asked parliament to authorize Egypt to defend Saudi Arabia if requested, while stressing he meant "defense," not war.
The development came amid escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh as well as oil facilities, highlighting the growing threat to critical infrastructure in the kingdom.
The Houthi group, which controls much of Yemen's Red Sea coastline, has also imposed a "maritime ban" on Saudi shipping and attacked Saudi tankers.
"No one can now separate Gulf security, Saudi security, the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, and the future of the conflict in Yemen," said Abu-Bakr Al-Desouky, an Egyptian political analyst and expert on Gulf affair. "All these issues are interconnected and intertwined, and each affects the others."
Disruptions to Red Sea shipping have affected traffic through Egypt's Suez Canal, a major source of foreign currency for Egypt.
"Egypt seeks to protect navigation in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, while remaining committed to defending a fellow Arab country," Al-Desouky told Xinhua.
The planned military support for Riyadh has apparently drawn domestic debate. Egypt's parliament on Monday postponed a vote on authorizing the move until Oct. 26 after several lawmakers reportedly requested to speak.
The Houthi-controlled parliament in Sanaa has warned Cairo against military involvement, with its speaker writing his Egyptian counterpart on Saturday to oppose any Egyptian military backing for Riyadh, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
DEFENSE SUPPORT, DIPLOMACY PUSH
Egypt has not disclosed details of any planned military support to Riyadh.
Hani Al-Gamal, deputy director of the Cairo-based Tafkir Center for Strategic Studies and Research, said any aid would focus on protecting Saudi airspace and borders, intercepting drones and missiles, and safeguarding Red Sea shipping, rather than offensive operations inside Yemen.
Pakistan and Türkiye on Oct. 5 agreed to deploy forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia in accordance with their commitments under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, though no tangible action has been taken.
Al-Desouky said countries supporting Saudi Arabia seek to help protect the kingdom without joining the fight in Yemen, as a deeper entanglement could bring financial, security and political costs, including possible Houthi strikes on their own interests.
However, growing regional support for Riyadh, he said, could "provide leverage to push all parties to the crisis toward negotiations, provided the aim is to protect Saudi Arabia and defend its territory, rather than to subdue the Houthis."
Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye could combine defensive cooperation with broader crisis-management efforts to help reduce cross-border attacks, facilitate talks, and safeguard freedom of navigation, he added.
"Negotiations, not military escalation, are undoubtedly the solution, the main solution to the crisis," Al-Desouky said. ■
