At Sissi’s urging, Egypt parliament to deliberate defending Saudis from Houthi attacks
Egyptian leader says his armed forces are ready to assist Saudi Arabia 'if requested'; also announces that he won't seek another presidential term
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said on Saturday Egypt would take any measures necessary to defend Saudi Arabia “if requested,” amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom, and parliament announced an emergency session on Sunday.
“It is inconceivable that we would allow Saudi Arabia, its security or stability to be harmed,” Sissi said at a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy. He said Egypt was not seeking to attack anyone, but was prepared to act in defense.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have in recent days attacked Riyadh’s international airport and the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, amid renewed fighting with the Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognized government following the collapse of a truce.
The Houthis have also blockaded the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, piling pressure on energy exports as Iran presses its own blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
Sissi said Egypt would act in accordance with guidance from Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited Sissi on September 15, after the fighting in Yemen reignited, to discuss issues including security and navigation in the Red Sea.
“I know this requires the approval of the Egyptian parliament, and I ask that an emergency session be held so that it can give us that authorization if we are asked,” Sissi said.
“I’m not talking about fighting anyone or attacking anyone,” the Egyptian leader continued. “We are speaking only about defense.”
Shortly after he spoke, parliament said it would hold a plenary session at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday in response to the request, though it did not disclose the agenda.
The conflict with the Houthis poses risks not only to Saudi Arabia’s security and energy exports, but also to Egypt, where disruption to Red Sea shipping could further reduce revenues from the Suez Canal, a key source of foreign currency.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said last month that Egypt’s Suez Canal lost about $11 billion in revenues since the Houthis began attacking commercial vessels following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war and other regional conflicts.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are close strategic and economic partners. Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf states provided Egypt with billions of dollars in aid, central-bank deposits and investments after the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.
Egypt also joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in 2015 to support the Yemeni government against the Houthis.
Despite its longstanding military ties with Gulf states, Egypt has not joined the Mecca agreement, a mutual defense pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in August, with Cairo generally favoring diplomacy over participation in regional military alliances.
‘End of my term as president’
Sissi, 71, also announced Saturday that he would not seek to remain in office when his current term expires in 2030, describing the matter as “completely settled.”
Speaking to graduates and state officials in the sprawling new city east of Cairo, Sissi said the Egyptian constitution “would not be touched.”
“The period leading up to 2030 will be the end of my term as president of the state, if I am still alive. This is completely settled and there will be no discussion about it,” he said.
The Egyptian constitution, approved in 2014 after the toppling of Morsi, originally limited presidents to two four-year terms.
Constitutional amendments approved in a 2019 referendum extended presidential terms from four to six years and included transitional provisions that allowed Sissi to run for an additional term.
Under those amendments, Sissi was re-elected in 2023 for a six-year term that is due to expire in 2030.
Critics and opposition figures have speculated about the possibility of further constitutional changes that could allow him to remain in office beyond 2030.
Before running for president, Sissi denied having political ambitions, but he resigned from his position as defense minister in 2014 and entered the race he went on to win.
On Saturday, he said the run-up to 2030 would be used to groom a new generation of leaders, with the Military Academy training hundreds of prospective officials, ministers and presidential candidates in statecraft and leadership.
During his 12 years in power, Sissi has overseen an ambitious state-led development program centered on megaprojects which critics say have relied heavily on borrowing and contributed to Egypt’s mounting debt burden and economic pressures.
Sissi’s presidency has also faced sustained criticism from international human rights organizations over restrictions on political opposition, civil society and freedom of expression, allegations the government rejects, saying its policies are necessary to preserve stability and security.