Egypt's Sisi asks parliament to approve help for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has asked parliament to authorise military support for Saudi Arabia's defences against Houthi attacks, if Riyadh asks for it, AFP reported from Cairo on Saturday 17 October 2026, in a report carried by Business Recorder. He asked lawmakers to meet in an emergency session, which Egyptian papers said would open on Sunday 18 October at 1pm Cairo time (4pm PKT).

What Sisi asked for

• Approval in advance: any deployment to help Saudi Arabia would need a vote in parliament, so Sisi asked for the authorisation now, to be used only if the kingdom requests help.
• Defence only: speaking at a military academy graduation, he said Egypt was talking "only about defence" and not about attacking anyone.
• Timing: Al-Ahram reported the emergency session for Sunday; Al-Akhbar gave the start time as 1pm (10:00 GMT).

Why now

The war in Yemen flared again in July. Since then the Houthis have stepped up strikes on Saudi energy sites and on Riyadh's international airport, where 13 people were killed last week, according to AFP. They have also blockaded the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea, which has become Saudi Arabia's main export route since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Egypt has its own stake: its foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, said last month that the Suez Canal has lost about $11 billion in revenue since Houthi attacks on shipping began in late 2023. Egypt joined the Saudi-led coalition in 2015, mainly to protect Red Sea shipping, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Cairo a month ago.

The Pakistan link

AFP noted that Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact, the Mecca agreement, in August. Egypt has not joined it and is "studying the agreement in depth". Islamabad has already condemned the Houthi strikes on the kingdom: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar called them "totally unacceptable" this week (our report).

What it means for you

• Pakistanis living and working in Saudi Arabia should follow Saudi civil defence alerts, especially in Riyadh and near energy sites in the Eastern Province and Jizan.
• Flights: Riyadh airport has been hit once. Check your airline's status before travelling, and keep an eye on the Saudi riyal rate if you send money home; our currency converter gives the rupee value.
• Fuel: with Hormuz shut and Bab al-Mandab blockaded, Gulf oil routes are squeezed. Pakistan's petrol price is reviewed by OGRA every fortnight; today's PSO ex-depot Karachi price is on our petrol price page.