Egypt's Parliament Authorises Troops for Saudi Arabia as the Houthis Call It a Declaration of War

Officials describe any mission as defensive, but have not said whether it would involve ground, air defence or naval forces. Sisi has said it would not include an attack on Yemen, and that a diplomatic solution is the top priority.

Why is Egypt getting involved in Saudi Arabia's war with the Houthis?

Money and geography. Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have already cut Suez Canal revenue, which France 24 said has not recovered since they began in 2023. Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia sent home $12 billion last fiscal year, more than the canal earned at its 2023 record. And the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which the Houthis can threaten, is the southern gateway to Suez.

The kingdom, meanwhile, is one of Egypt's largest financial backers and has been under attack, including the strike on Riyadh's airport that we covered earlier this month. The Houthis have also claimed fresh missile strikes on Saudi targets, among them the Ras Tanura refinery, but CBS noted that the coalition has not confirmed any damage.

How have the Houthis responded?

Angrily. The speaker of the Houthi-run parliament in Sanaa, Yahya al-Raei, wrote to Egypt's house speaker that involvement would be a grave danger to Egypt's national security, The National said, and the Houthi official's war remark followed the vote.

The open question is what Egypt would actually send. Egypt joined the 2015 Saudi-led campaign in Yemen mainly with naval forces protecting shipping routes, according to Al Jazeera. Whatever Cairo does this time, it will be judged against two facts it has stated itself, that the mission is defensive and that Riyadh must request it. The next signal will be whether Saudi Arabia asks.