Egyptian Forces Have Been in Saudi Arabia for Months: Foreign Minister

Egyptian military forces have been stationed in Saudi Arabia for several months to support the Kingdom's defences, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed. Abdelatty stressed that their presence is strictly defensive and that Egyptian troops will not enter Yemen.

Speaking on the sidelines of a G7 ministerial meeting in Paris, Abdelatty linked the deployment to earlier regional escalations involving Iran and attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. He said Egypt's parliament had approved a mandate by a two-thirds majority, authorising President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to take the necessary measures to support Saudi defences and protect key sites within the Kingdom.

The foreign minister emphasised that Saudi Arabia's security is directly connected to Egypt's national security. Addressing statements by Yemen's Houthi movement describing Egypt's military involvement as a declaration of war, Abdelatty rejected the suggestion that the deployment was intended to support offensive operations.

He also highlighted Egypt's continued diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia and its support for negotiations to end the conflict in Yemen. Abdelatty called for an end to attacks on the Kingdom and withdrawals on the ground to create conditions for renewed talks under a previously agreed roadmap.

His remarks followed a Saudi-led coalition announcement that it had intercepted four missiles launched by the Houthis, including two ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh and two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy reported that falling debris caused limited damage to an Aramco office building in Riyadh, with no casualties. Egypt subsequently condemned the attacks and reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia's security and stability.