Egypt's National Defence Council: we will give Saudi Arabia all necessary aid

Egypt's National Defence Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, approved on Sunday 18 October 2026 at the presidential palace in Cairo that Egypt will provide "all necessary and possible forms of support" to defend the security and stability of Saudi Arabia against attacks by the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic in Yemen. The decision was made a day after el-Sisi, according to DIAR's earlier report, asked the Egyptian parliament, in an emergency session, to authorise him to respond to any Riyadh request for defensive assistance.

According to the Egyptian presidency's statement, this support includes defending Saudi Arabia's resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites. The council described Saudi Arabia's national security as part of the national security of Egypt and the Arab world, spoke of Cairo's "full solidarity" with Riyadh, and at the same time decided to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to reduce tension in the region.

Who attended the National Defence Council meeting

The meeting was attended by the speaker of parliament, the prime minister, the defence minister, the army chief of staff, the foreign and interior ministers, the head of the intelligence service and the commanders of Egypt's armed forces. The council's statement did not directly mention sending troops, and as of the publication of this report, the outcome of the emergency session of Egypt's parliament had not been announced.

Under Article 152 of Egypt's constitution, the president can send the armed forces on a combat mission abroad only after consulting the National Defence Council and with the approval of two thirds of the members of parliament; for this reason, Sunday's decision is regarded as the first legal step towards Egypt's possible entry into the military defence of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

In recent weeks the Houthis have targeted Riyadh's international airport and the facilities of the oil company Aramco with missile and drone attacks. In the early hours of this same Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition also intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles over Khamis Mushait. Saudi Arabia accuses the Islamic Republic of encouraging and directing these attacks, and Tehran denies the accusation.

Egypt's joining the ranks of Riyadh's supporters comes after the UAE also returned to the war in Yemen with a new agreement with Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, in his speech, el-Sisi had said that Egypt would act on the guidance of King Salman and Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince. Mohammed bin Salman had travelled to Cairo last month, after the war in Yemen flared up again, and the two sides had stressed the security of shipping in the Red Sea, a route on which the revenue of the Suez Canal, one of Egypt's main sources of foreign currency, depends.

With the decision of Egypt's National Defence Council, the largest army in the Arab world has moved one step closer to direct confrontation with the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic.