Egypt’s National Defense Council Pledges Full Support to Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Houthi Threat

CAIRO — Egypt’s National Defense Council announced on Sunday that it has agreed to provide full support to its close ally, Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom faces a major escalation of fighting against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This development marks the latest front in the regional conflict involving Iran.

Saudi Arabia has been actively seeking military assistance from its allies as the Houthis intensify their attacks. The rebels have repeatedly targeted airports and critical oil infrastructure across the kingdom using advanced drones and maneuverable missiles, which pose a significant challenge to air defense interceptors. The ongoing violence has resulted in at least 19 deaths, disrupted thousands of flights, and rattled global energy markets.

In parallel, the Saudi Defense Minister met with the President of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, according to the UAE’s official news agency, WAM. While both nations have historically backed different factions within the Yemeni coalition, this meeting highlights efforts to mend ties and align their strategies against the Houthi threat.

The Egyptian announcement regarding military assistance comes approximately one month after a high-profile visit by the Saudi Crown Prince. Chaired by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the National Defense Council officially resolved to offer “all possible forms of support” to help Saudi Arabia safeguard its national security, as stated in a presidential declaration.

While specific details of the support were not disclosed, President el-Sissi has formally requested parliamentary authorization to deploy Egyptian troops and military equipment overseas, signaling a potential direct involvement in regional security operations.

Later on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that he had spoken by phone with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the latest regional developments amid the escalating tensions.

The surge in hostilities has severely endangered civilians on both sides of the conflict, as Yemen experiences a renewed cycle of civil war. In the past week alone, the interim capital of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, Aden, has witnessed attacks on its airport and a government palace.

On Sunday, an airstrike in the rebel-held northern province of Saada killed at least nine individuals, including five children and two women, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry.

Spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi stated that the strike targeted a residential home in the Sahar district, injuring nineteen others, eleven of whom were children. Several of the wounded are reported to be in critical condition.

Al-Asbahi blamed Saudi Arabia for the strike, though there was no immediate response from the kingdom. Meanwhile, the Houthi-run al-Masirah satellite channel broadcasted dramatic footage of survivors clearing debris by hand and rescuing two young individuals from the rubble.

Houthi officials claimed that Saudi-led military actions over the past 24 hours killed or wounded more than thirty people. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the rebels’ military spokesperson, asserted that 110 missiles and airstrikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Sanaa and other cities, though The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify these claims.

Across the border in Saudi Arabia, a military helicopter gunship crashed in the southwestern city of Najran, resulting in the deaths of its two crew members. A Saudi military spokesperson attributed the crash to a technical malfunction, despite earlier claims by the Houthis that they had shot the aircraft down.

Separately, Saudi Civil Defense authorities reported that a projectile launched by the Houthis struck a residential area in Najran province, leaving six people wounded.

The Houthis have intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, driven by the kingdom’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government. In recent operations, the rebels have seized additional territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, near the strategically vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which serves as a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.

On Sunday, the Houthis’ chief negotiator, Mohamed Abdulsalam, blamed Saudi Arabia for the ongoing escalation. In a social media statement, he noted that the rebels had previously warned the kingdom against targeting the rebel-held Sanaa airport in mid-July.

The rebels asserted that the strike on the airport prevented an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing. The delegation was returning from the funeral of Iran’s supreme leader, who was reportedly killed during the initial strikes of the war in February.

Frustrated by the longstanding Saudi-led blockade, the Houthis declared a retaliatory blockade of their own against the kingdom.

According to Abdulsalam, Oman had proposed a five-day truce to facilitate negotiations and resolve the dispute. He stated that the Houthis agreed to halt attacks if Saudi Arabia met certain “humanitarian demands,” though the specifics were not detailed.

Abdulsalam asserted that Saudi Arabia did not demonstrate any readiness to engage constructively with these demands. Consequently, the rebels launched their offensive along the Red Sea coast shortly thereafter.

In a rare briefing last week, a Saudi diplomat revealed that the kingdom had called for a meeting with the Houthis in Oman in July to resolve outstanding differences and end the escalation, but the rebels declined to participate.

On Sunday, Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s premier religious institution in Egypt, called for the establishment of an “urgent mediation committee” to resolve ongoing conflicts across the Arab region.

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