Saudi security crisis tests Egypt's regional strategy

Egypt is walking a dangerous diplomatic tightrope, caught between defending a powerful Gulf ally and avoiding another costly war in Yemen. Well, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has now drawn a clear red line. Cairo is prepared to defend Saudi Arabia's territory and borders, but it will not launch offensive military operations inside Yemen. So our stance alongside our brothers in the Gulf is an extension of our joint Arab national security between us and them and all of our efforts and by the way just so people understand because i've heard a lot of talk over the past few days suggesting that we are going to launch an attack on Yemen or something along those lines no of course not we have never engaged in cooperation for the sake of fighting outside the borders we are talking about defending the land and borders of the kingdom now the clarification comes as attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels intensify against the kingdom and as the wider West Asia conflict threatens to drag more regional powers into the fighting. But Egypt's military options are far from settled. Parliament has postponed until October 26th a vote on authorizing military support for Riyadh. The proposed assistance would require a request from Saudi Arabia and the debate has exposed concerns about the cost, the duration and the risks of any deployment. Egypt's National Defense Council has already pledged support for Saudi defense. But Cairo has also called for diplomatic efforts to contain this escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says any interference in Yemen war by Egypt or any other country will make the situation more difficult and worse. Egypt has sufficient experience to avoid entangling itself in such a highly complex conflict. We believe that any foreign presence or interference will only make resolving this issue more difficult. The Egyptians have assured us that this is solely for the defense of Saudi Arabia and that they will not enter Yemen or engage in a war against Yemen. The stakes are enormous. Saudi Arabia is a critical economic partner for Egypt and the conflict in the Red Sea has already taken a heavy toll on Suez Canal revenues. There is also the weight of history. Egypt's costly intervention in Yemen during the 1960s remains a warning against getting drawn into a prolonged conflict. I believe this is the most crucial point, as the parliament cannot grant such an authorization unless the mission is clearly defined, the time frame is set, the objective of the intervention is known, and the scope of the Egyptian forces' involvement, along with the nature of their required tasks, is specified. This ensures that we do not find ourselves intervening to a greater extent than was originally intended. President Sisi faces a difficult calculation. How does Egypt defend Saudi Arabia without becoming another combatant in Yemen? For now, Cairo is promising defensive solidarity, but stopping short of an open-ended commitment to the war.