Egypt Pledges Support to Saudi Arabia

Egypt’s National Defence Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, pledged “all necessary and possible” support to Saudi Arabia and called for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict. El-Sisi said any Egyptian action would be defensive and contingent on a request from Riyadh; parliament was due to consider authorizing possible assistance, though Cairo had not specified its form. Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and oil infrastructure have caused deaths and disrupted travel as fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces has reignited Yemen’s civil war. Separately, an airstrike in Houthi-controlled Saada killed at least nine people, including five children, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry, which blamed Saudi Arabia; Riyadh had not immediately commented. The conflict has also threatened Red Sea shipping and Egyptian revenue from the Suez Canal.