Egypt Deploys Military Forces to Defend Saudi Arabia
Egypt has deployed hundreds of soldiers and advanced air defenses to Saudi Arabia to protect holy sites and infrastructure from Houthi missile and drone attacks.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed that Egyptian military forces have been stationed in Saudi Arabia for several months to bolster the kingdom's defensive capabilities. The deployment focuses on protecting sensitive locations, including the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, following a series of missile and drone attacks by the Houthi Movement against Saudi civilian airports and energy facilities.
While the Egyptian parliament authorized President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to order the deployment in late October, Abdelatty revealed that troops, armor, and air-defense systems were already on the ground. The force includes hundreds of soldiers equipped with surface-to-surface missiles, Skyguard AMOUN anti-aircraft batteries, Rafale jet fighters, and warships positioned near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to deter the closure of the waterway.
Egypt maintains the mission is strictly defensive and limited to Saudi territory, with no plans to cross the border into Yemen. The Houthi Movement has characterized the parliamentary authorization as a "declaration of war," a claim Abdelatty rejected, stating that Egypt seeks political solutions and de-escalation. In a related development, the Group of Seven issued a joint statement condemning Houthi aggression and calling on Iran to stop providing the group with weapons and funds.
