Aden (South24 Center)

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Egypt’s House of Representatives postponed until Monday a vote on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s request for authorization to take defensive measures in support of Saudi Arabia, two lawmakers told Agence France-Presse on Sunday. They said deliberations would continue to give members more time to express their views. Parliament has not yet approved the authorization.

The House held an emergency session in the New Administrative Capital, chaired by Speaker Hisham Badawy. Article 152 of Egypt’s Constitution stipulates that sending the armed forces abroad on a combat mission requires consultation with the National Defense Council and approval by two-thirds of the House. The request must be considered in an urgent, closed session.

Sisi called for the session on Saturday, saying Egypt was ready to take measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested it. He added that Egypt was not seeking to fight or attack any party and that any Egyptian action would be defensive. As of Sunday, no formal Saudi request related to the proposed authorization had been announced.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Egypt’s National Defense Council, chaired by Sisi, declared “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and said it had decided to provide the kingdom with “all necessary and possible forms of support” to defend its security and stability, protect its resources and territorial integrity, and safeguard Islamic holy sites. It also affirmed that Egypt would continue political and diplomatic efforts, in coordination with regional and international parties, to reduce tensions and resolve regional crises peacefully.

The Egyptian presidency’s statement did not mention sending troops or specify the nature of the support. However, Mostafa Bakry, a member of parliament, said on X that the National Defense Council had approved sending troops to Saudi Arabia and determined their defensive mission. The request remains before parliament, and even if approved, the authorization would not in itself mean that troops had begun deploying.

In a statement from Sanaa, Yahya al-Raei, speaker of the Houthi-controlled House of Representatives, sent a letter to his Egyptian counterpart, Hisham Badawy, warning Cairo against becoming militarily involved alongside Saudi Arabia. The Sanaa-based House is controlled by the Houthis and is not internationally recognized.

Al-Raei said he rejected Egypt being drawn into “the same trench as the takfiri forces and the Israeli occupation entity,” warning that such a course “would pose a grave danger to its national security.” He urged Cairo to avoid involvement in the conflict and work towards a political solution.

The warning came as Saudi Arabia faced continued missile and drone attacks.

Coalition military spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said air defenses had intercepted two ballistic missiles fired towards Khamis Mushait and three drones over Riyadh and the Eastern Province. Al-Maliki said the Houthis had launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport since October 1, and that attacks on Saudi airports had killed 19 people and injured 364.

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi praised Egypt’s position, saying Cairo’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia reflected a joint response to shared threats and contributed to regional security.