Egypt's Parliament Greenlights Troop Deployment to Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions

Egypt's parliament has granted President Abdel Fattah El Sisi the authority to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia, a move that removes the final constitutional obstacle for a potential intervention against the Houthis. The decision was confirmed by a pro-government Member of Parliament (MP) on Monday.

Mostafa Bakry, writing on X following a closed parliamentary session in Cairo, stated, "Parliament approved authorising President El Sisi to send forces to Saudi Arabia if required, and after co-ordination between the two countries." This session was the third in nine days dedicated to the matter. Bakry further noted that parliament has given the president "freedom of decision according to his assessment." The specific results of the vote, conducted via roll call in a closed session, have not been publicly released. However, Article 152 of the Egyptian constitution mandates a two-thirds majority, or 398 out of 596 members, for sending the army on overseas combat missions.

This approval does not signal an immediate deployment. President El Sisi, in his capacity as supreme commander of the armed forces, now possesses the legal power to act. He has previously stated that Egypt would only intervene if formally requested by Riyadh, and no such official request has been announced. The vote followed over a week of deliberations, with President El Sisi initially requesting the mandate from parliament on October 17 during a ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy, emphasizing the importance of Saudi Arabia's security.

The National Defence Council, chaired by El Sisi, met the day after his request and pledged "all necessary and possible forms of support" to the Kingdom, without detailing the nature or extent of this support. While MPs were widely expected to endorse the request swiftly, given that the four main pro-government parties control 403 of the 568 elected seats, the parliamentary process involved significant debate. The House convened in two closed sessions on October 18 and 19 before adjourning for a week.

Assem El Gazzar, deputy speaker and head of the pro-government National Front Party, reported that nearly 500 MPs had expressed a desire to speak on the issue, an unusually high number. Most political parties voiced support for the mandate. The Wafd party, Egypt's oldest liberal party, declared Saudi security to be "an inseparable part" of Egypt's national security. The Justice Party directed its MPs to vote in favour, and the Salafist Nour Party advocated for defensive coordination with Riyadh. In contrast, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, with approximately a dozen seats, advised its MPs to abstain, citing concerns over economic costs and the potential for regional escalation. Maha Abdel Nasser, one of its MPs, criticized the mandate as being open-ended and vague, advocating instead for a diplomatic resolution. Mohamed Abdel Aleem Dawoud, head of the Wafd's parliamentary bloc, and independent MP Diaa El Din Dawoud also reserved their positions.

The situation intensified for many Egyptians following a Houthi strike on Riyadh's airport on October 10, which resulted in 12 fatalities, including Azza Ramzy, a 28-year-old from Beheira province. The Houthis have issued warnings to Cairo against intervention. Yahya Al Raei, speaker of the Houthi-run parliament in Sanaa, communicated to his Egyptian counterpart, Hisham Badawi, that any involvement would pose "a grave danger" to Egypt's national security.

Egypt has substantial strategic and economic interests in siding with Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is a major financial supporter of Egypt, and recent Houthi attacks targeting Red Sea shipping have already impacted revenue from the Suez Canal, a critical source of foreign currency for Egypt. The precise form of Egyptian support remains undetermined. Officials have characterized any potential mission as defensive, and have not specified whether it would involve ground troops, air defense systems, or naval forces.