Egypt pledges military support for Saudi Arabia against Houthis

Egypt's parliament delays vote on military support for Saudi Arabia

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Egypt's parliament has delayed a vote on authorising its armed forces to support Saudi Arabia, which has come under increasing attack from the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen.

The vote has been adjourned to October 26, the House of Representatives said on Monday, prolonging the debate over Egypt's role in the Yemeni conflict.

The opposition Egyptian Social Democratic Party said it had told its lawmakers to abstain, citing a lack of information about the mission's objectives, duration, cost, or the risks to Egyptian troops.

However, the party, which holds nearly a dozen seats, said most of its lawmakers support the measure, according to two members of parliament who spoke to the AFP news agency.

The parliament has been tasked with authorising President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to approve any request from Saudi Arabia for defence assistance amid attacks on the kingdom by Yemen's Houthis.

The call for support came after the Iran-backed rebel group attacked Riyadh's international airport and the state oil company Saudi Aramco last week, resulting in the deaths of 13 people.

Egypt's constitution requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority to send troops on a combat mission abroad, and the National Defence Council, chaired by el-Sisi, has given its approval for the mission.