Egypt parliament authorises military support for Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks

Parliament votes with majority

The House of Representatives voted in favour of authorising the president to take necessary measures. The vote passed with a two-thirds majority after three rare secret meetings were held by lawmakers.

Scope remains unclear to MPs

Lawmakers received assurances that any operation would be defensive in nature but details are not yet public. One party abstained because they wanted specific objectives and clear information on the mission's scope before voting.

Egypt joins Saudi-led coalition

Egypt previously joined the Saudi-led coalition in March 2015 mainly as a naval partner to secure shipping lanes. The country has frequently condemned Iranian attacks on Gulf countries but had not publicly engaged in direct combat.