Egyptian Parliament Approves Military Aid to Saudi Arabia as Middle East Tensions Rise

[Financial News]  Egypt’s parliament on the 26th (local time) approved a military assistance plan to help Saudi Arabia, which is facing the threat of airstrikes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Energy-focused outlet OilPrice.com reported that the Egyptian parliament’s decision gives Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi the authority to deploy troops immediately if Saudi Arabia requests it. El-Sisi made clear, however, that the Egyptian military’s role would be limited to defending Saudi territory and borders, not attacking mainland Yemen.
The move comes in response to the Houthi rebels’ continuing attacks on key Saudi facilities. The Iran-aligned armed group in Yemen claimed that day to have again attacked a major Saudi oil pipeline and the airport in the capital, Riyadh, further heightening military tensions in the Middle East. The Houthis had also said they attacked the Rabigh refinery and Aramco facilities in Yanbu over the previous weekend, but Saudi authorities have not officially confirmed whether there was any damage.
The pipeline, about 1,190 km long, is a key artery in Saudi Arabia’s energy transport system, carrying crude oil around the Strait of Hormuz to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. On September 10, a drone attack damaged a pumping station, forcing it to shut down for two weeks. The pipeline has now recovered to a throughput of up to 5.8 million barrels per day.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led Arab coalition announced that it had destroyed two launch sites in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, along with five missile-storage tunnels and four additional launch sites.
Even amid the threat of armed conflict, diplomatic efforts to ease tensions are also underway. Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman made a surprise visit to Tehran, Iran, on the 26th, leading a Saudi delegation. The aim is to prevent an escalation and ease tensions through mediation by Qatar and Pakistan.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “Indirect talks with the United States are still continuing through mediators,” adding, “Iran is also prepared to resume the war, but remains open to the possibility of a diplomatic solution.”


[email protected] Yoon Jae-joon Reporter