Egypt confirms military presence in Saudi Arabia, plans to strengthen defensive deployment

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has confirmed that Egyptian military personnel have been stationed in Saudi Arabia for several months and that Cairo is working to reinforce the deployment to help the kingdom defend against attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

Speaking in an English-language interview with France 24 broadcast Monday, Abdelatty disclosed the previously unannounced military presence, two weeks after Egypt’s parliament authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia.

“We already have a military presence there, at the request of our brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia… and we are working to bolster that,” Abdelatty said.

He explained that the deployment began several months earlier, following attacks against Saudi Arabia during a period of heightened regional tensions involving Iran.

“Our presence there began a few months ago, following attacks and acts of aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a period of escalation with Iran,” he said, without providing further operational details.

Last month, Egypt’s parliament approved a request from Sisi to provide defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia in response to Houthi attacks.

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However, it remains unclear whether lawmakers were informed that Egyptian forces had already been deployed to the kingdom before the parliamentary authorization.

Several Egyptian legislators told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that they had not received details concerning the size or scope of the planned deployment.

Abdelatty stressed that Egypt’s military role in Saudi Arabia would be strictly defensive, focusing particularly on air defense capabilities.

He said the deployment would help protect sensitive locations throughout the kingdom, including Islamic holy sites.

Saudi authorities have repeatedly accused the Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah, of targeting the regions of Mecca and Medina, allegations the group has denied.

Speaking in Paris on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, Abdelatty also downplayed remarks by Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the movement’s Supreme Political Council, who described Egypt’s decision to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia as a “declaration of war.”

The foreign minister maintained that Egypt’s involvement was intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defensive capabilities rather than undertake offensive military operations.

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