Egypt's parliament on Monday authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to provide military support to help defend Saudi Arabia against Yemen's Houthi movement if Riyadh requests it, according to lawmakers and local media, without announcing any deployment^1,2.

The vote followed more than a week of closed debate after el-Sisi asked for the mandate on Oct. 17². Reuters, citing parliamentarians, said the authorization would let Egypt's military help defend the kingdom as Houthi attacks on Saudi territory have intensified¹.

Mostafa Bakry, a lawmaker close to the government, wrote after a closed session in Cairo that parliament had authorized el-Sisi "to send forces to Saudi Arabia if required, and after co-ordination between the two countries," The National reported². The house did not publish the roll-call result².

Under Article 152 of Egypt's constitution, sending the army on a combat mission abroad requires two-thirds of the 596-member house, or 398 votes, The National said². El-Sisi, as supreme commander, now has legal authority to act but has said Egypt would move only if Saudi Arabia asks; no formal Saudi request has been announced².

Officials have described any mission as defensive and have not said whether it would involve ground troops, air defense or naval forces².

The National Defence Council, chaired by el-Sisi, pledged "all necessary and possible forms of support" after meeting on Oct. 18 without specifying form, size or duration². Most parties backed the request; the Egyptian Social Democratic Party told its MPs to abstain, citing economic cost and escalation risk².

Yahya Al Raei, speaker of the Houthi-run parliament in Sanaa, wrote to Egyptian Speaker Hisham Badawi that involvement would pose a grave danger to Egypt's national security, The National reported². The National said Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have already cut Suez Canal revenue².

What remains unknown is whether Riyadh will request forces, what mix of capabilities Cairo would send, and how quickly any mission would follow the vote^1,2.