Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's announcement on Saturday that his country would take any measures necessary to protect and defend its Saudi brothers, "in accordance with the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman," has gained considerable momentum within the framework of the two countries' historic relations, with potentially significant implications for geopolitical developments in the region. Cairo began taking concrete steps on Sunday, when the National Defense Council, chaired by El-Sisi, decided to "provide all necessary and possible forms of support to Saudi Arabia to defend its security and stability, safeguard its resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites." The decision was based on "the historic relations and strong bonds between the peoples of the two brotherly countries, which represent the heart of the Arab nation, and the conviction that Saudi national security is inseparable from Egyptian and Arab national security." Both countries possess substantial and advanced military capabilities across various defense sectors. Analysts speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat said military cooperation, coordination and solidarity would complement the growing political cooperation between Riyadh and Cairo, particularly amid frequent high-level exchanges, including the Saudi crown prince's visit to Egypt last month. Political analyst Muneef Al-Harbi placed Egypt's position within a broader context extending beyond current military developments. He said relations between Riyadh and Cairo have a distinctive historical character, with both countries serving as central pillars of Arab national security and maintaining a long record of mutual support during regional crises. Al-Harbi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the relationship rests on "deep political history," recalling the so-called "Arab triangle" of Riyadh, Cairo and Damascus in the 1950s, before a Saudi-Egyptian partnership emerged that was capable of responding to the region's changing circumstances and threats. A History of Mutual Support Al-Harbi cited Saudi Arabia's support for Egypt in 2013 and Cairo's participation in the 1990 war to liberate Kuwait, despite Egypt's membership at the time in the Arab Cooperation Council. He recalled that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sided with those calling for Kuwait's liberation. Summing up the relationship, Al-Harbi said, "The strength of each country reinforces the strength of the other." He added that Egypt's position on Gulf security also aligns with existing regional cooperation initiatives, including the quadrilateral framework bringing together Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye, as well as their participation in the multinational defensive maritime coalition recently established by Saudi Arabia. Al-Harbi highlighted Yemen's particular importance in this context, noting that Egypt has incurred losses estimated at $11 billion as a result of the closure or disruption of shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Shared Security and Interconnected Interests International affairs specialist Ahmed Al-Ibrahim said Egypt's support for Saudi Arabia "goes beyond political solidarity and reflects Cairo's recognition of the direct connection between the security of the Kingdom and the Gulf and Egypt's own national security." Al-Ibrahim told Asharq Al-Awsat that granting President El-Sisi the requested authorization would "complete the legal framework necessary for any potential Egyptian military action beyond its borders, should Saudi Arabia request it." He explained that such authorization would give Cairo the legal basis to consider its options as developments unfold, without necessarily implying that a decision to take military action had been made. He added that the move also sends a political message that Egypt does not view threats to Saudi Arabia as separate from broader regional security concerns. The Red Sea, he said, is a particularly important area of shared strategic interests, given Egypt's dependence on the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and uninterrupted shipping toward the Suez Canal, as well as the waterway's direct importance to Saudi Arabia. Military Cooperation Across Multiple Fronts From a military perspective, former Saudi military officer and strategic analyst Abdullatif Al-Mulhim said any additional Saudi-Egyptian military cooperation, should developments require it, could take several forms. These include intelligence sharing, early warning systems, air defense, naval coordination and logistical support, all of which could strengthen the ability to counter Houthi attacks and protect shipping routes. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Mulhim highlighted the scale of the two countries' military capabilities. Citing the 2026 Global Firepower rankings, he said both countries' armed forces rank highly, with their combined air fleets exceeding 2,000 aircraft, including more than 500 fighter jets. Al-Mulhim added that expanding coordination between Riyadh and Cairo could help strengthen deterrence, protect coastlines and shipping lanes, and reduce threats to security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
