Egypt's parliament authorises Sisi to take all measures to help Saudi Arabia, opening path to troop deployment

Egypt's parliament has taken a decision that could draw the country more directly into Saudi Arabia's conflict with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. On Monday parliament authorised President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take all necessary measures to help Saudi Arabia defend itself, the British news agency Reuters reported.

The Houthis are fighting Saudi Arabia. Their advance also threatens the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the southern entrance to the Red Sea and strategically important for Egypt's Suez Canal.

Sisi had sought parliament's approval to give military assistance, if Riyadh requests it, to the Gulf Arab ally and the world's biggest oil exporter.

According to an official parliamentary statement, at least two-thirds of the chamber's members voted in favour of the proposal. Parliament voted in a closed session and did not publish the tally. No formal Saudi request for Egyptian troops was mentioned either.

The statement did not specify what kind of assistance Egypt would give. Taher al-Khouli, deputy head of parliament's legislative committee, told Reuters that Egypt will send troops there in coordination between the two countries and at Saudi Arabia's request.

Several opposition groups opposed the decision or refused to support it. The opposition coalition Civil Democratic Movement rejected Egyptian military involvement in a regional war; last week it said Cairo's role should be centred on mediation.

The Egyptian Social Democratic Party said its lawmakers would abstain from voting. It cited a lack of information about the operation's objective, duration and cost. The party also expressed support for Saudi Arabia, however.

Egypt has repeatedly condemned attacks by Iran and Iran-backed groups on Gulf countries. But it has not openly joined the war directly. Egypt also did not join the Makkah mutual defence pact signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey.

Earlier this month, ministers of the pact countries met in emergency session in Riyadh. There they agreed to ensure the rapid deployment of troops and military capability to Saudi Arabia. Last week Pakistan ratified the pact and Turkey's parliament began the approval process.

In an attempt to de-escalate the conflict, top officials of the three Makkah pact countries were meeting Iranian leaders in Tehran on Monday. Last week Britain said it would deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to protect Saudi cities and important infrastructure from Houthi air attacks.