Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called for Parliament to convene in an emergency session to authorize possible action by the Armed Forces in defence of Saudi Arabia, should the kingdom request assistance. He stressed that Egypt was speaking of defence, not an offensive campaign or an effort to wage war against another country.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet on Sunday, October 18, after President Sisi made the request during a ceremony marking the graduation of new classes from Egypt’s military colleges and the first cohort of the Egyptian Military Academy. The president did not specify what form any assistance might take, or whether it would involve Egyptian personnel, air-defence systems or another kind of support.
President Sisi said Egypt would take measures to protect Saudi Arabia if asked by the kingdom’s leadership. He described the security of Saudi Arabia as closely linked to Egypt’s own interests and said Cairo could not accept the targeting of the kingdom or the undermining of its stability.
“I am not speaking about fighting anyone or attacking anyone,” he said at the ceremony, according to his remarks. “We are speaking only about defence.” He added that parliamentary approval was required and asked lawmakers to meet urgently to provide the necessary authorization if a request for help arrived.
The appeal comes as Saudi Arabia faces escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement. Recent strikes have targeted sites in the kingdom, including Riyadh, amid a widening confrontation connected to the conflict in Yemen. The violence has also raised concerns about security around the Red Sea and maritime routes that are economically important to Egypt, including shipping through the Suez Canal.
Egypt has long maintained close political and security ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. President Sisi has repeatedly argued that the security of Egypt and its Gulf partners is interconnected. In his speech, he presented the proposed defence commitment as a response to the broader threat to regional stability, while emphasizing that any Egyptian action would depend on a request from Riyadh and authorization from Parliament.
The constitutional process is a central part of the issue. Egypt’s Constitution requires parliamentary approval for a declaration of war and for sending armed forces on a combat mission abroad. The president’s request therefore signals a push to secure political authorization in advance, but it does not by itself announce a deployment or define the limits of any potential military involvement. Sisi offered no operational details, and Parliament had not yet publicly set out the terms of a possible mandate.
The session’s scope also remained unclear. Lawmaker Mostafa Bakry said in a televised interview that Parliament would consider granting President Sisi authority to move the Armed Forces within a defined location and framework to defend Saudi Arabia, and that any Egyptian presence would be at the request of the Saudi leadership. His comments described the proposed authorization as limited and defensive; the president’s own public remarks did not detail a specific location, force size or mission.
Bakry also alleged that Iran, the United States and Israel were involved in a conspiracy against the Arab region and said the Houthis acted on Iran’s orders. Those were his political claims, not a description of the mandate announced by President Sisi. The president’s public appeal focused on defence of Saudi Arabia and the need for parliamentary approval.
President Sisi linked Egypt’s position to the assistance it received from Gulf countries during periods of economic strain. He recalled that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait had supplied Egypt with oil, gas, cooking gas and wheat after the upheavals of 2013. He urged Egyptians to remember that support, saying the country should acknowledge the role played by its Arab partners.
The ceremony itself combined military tradition with a wider message about discipline and state responsibility. President Sisi attended the graduation of new military college classes and the first class of the Egyptian Military Academy. He also witnessed a handover ceremony between graduating students and incoming classes, and awarded decorations to top graduates. Students demonstrated physical training, self-defence and combat skills, including close-quarters exercises, climbing and movement between elevated platforms.
In his address, Sisi emphasized that the Armed Forces’ strength depends not only on weapons but also on training, discipline and professional competence. The remarks on regional defence came alongside a separate appeal to prepare capable national leaders and preserve the stability of state institutions.
The immediate question is what authority Parliament will consider and how narrowly it will define it. President Sisi’s remarks establish a conditional offer: Egypt is prepared to act if Saudi Arabia asks, but any military measure would require parliamentary approval. Until lawmakers meet and the terms are made public, the proposed mandate remains a request for authorization rather than confirmation that Egyptian forces will be deployed.
