Egypt approves military support for Saudi Arabia after Houthi attacks escalate

The Egyptian parliament has authorized the country’s military to provide support to help defend Saudi Arabia, in a move that could push Cairo directly into the regional conflict that has expanded with intensified attacks by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis on the Gulf kingdom.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi had asked parliament last week to approve defending its Gulf Arab ally and the world’s biggest oil exporter if Riyadh requests help against the Houthis, whose advances also threaten the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait — a gateway to Egypt’s Suez Canal.

Egypt has frequently condemned Iranian and Iranian-backed attacks on Gulf countries but has not publicly engaged in direct combat or joined the Mecca mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey that was signed in August.