Cairo/Riyadh/Islamabad, October 18,2026: Egypt has pledged to provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary support to defend its security and stability amid escalating Houthi attacks, as Pakistan and Egypt strongly condemned the strikes and reaffirmed solidarity with the kingdom.
The Egyptian presidency announced the commitment on Sunday following a meeting of the National Defence Council chaired by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The meeting was attended by the parliamentary speaker, prime minister and army chief.
“Egypt will provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary and possible forms of support to defend its security and stability, protect its resources, territorial integrity and Islamic holy sites,” the presidency said in a statement.
The announcement came after the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels reported that two officers had been killed when a military helicopter crashed in the southern Najran region near the Yemeni border.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter belonging to the Saudi Ministry of National Guard had crashed inside Saudi territory due to a technical malfunction, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.
The crash marked the first reported military fatalities for the coalition since the long-running conflict with the Houthis reignited in July.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree, however, claimed late on Saturday that the group had shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter in the same area. The coalition attributed the crash to a technical malfunction.
Egyptian President Sisi had requested an urgent parliamentary session to seek authorisation for the military to assist in defending Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested support. Parliament was scheduled to meet on Sunday to vote on the request.
Addressing a speech on Saturday, Sisi said Egypt would act in accordance with guidance from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince visited Egypt on September 15 following the renewed fighting in Yemen.
The latest developments follow a Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport a week earlier that reportedly killed 13 people, marking Saudi Arabia’s deadliest attack in more than a decade.
Dar, Egyptian FM condemn Houthi attacks
On the diplomatic front, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Sunday.
“The two leaders exchanged views on recent regional developments and strongly condemned the Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reaffirming their full solidarity with the Kingdom and support for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security,” the Foreign Office said.
The two foreign ministers also discussed cooperation under the R-4 framework, comprising Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, and looked forward to holding the group’s next meeting soon to strengthen bilateral ties and coordinate positions on regional issues.
The foreign ministers of the four countries last met on September 21 in New York, where they reaffirmed their support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and its right to self-defence.
Pakistan has repeatedly expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and maintains defence arrangements with the kingdom. These include the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, signed in September 2025, under which the two countries pledged to treat an attack on either as an act of aggression against both.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also parties to the Makkah Defence Alliance, which includes Türkiye. Signed on August 7, the pact provides that an attack on one member state would be treated as an attack on all.
Fighting intensifies in Yemen
The renewed violence has raised concerns over regional security and maritime trade following an uneasy four-year truce in Yemen.
The Houthis declared a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia in July and subsequently expanded their operations around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a vital route for international shipping.
The escalation has coincided with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s blockade, adding to concerns over regional energy supplies and maritime traffic.
The Houthis have also targeted Saudi interests, including tankers in the Red Sea, oil facilities and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has responded with repeated airstrikes against Houthi-held areas.
The coalition said overnight that it had intercepted two drones in the Riyadh area and a third over the oil-rich Eastern Province. Saudi authorities had earlier issued a threat alert in the capital.
It also reported intercepting two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait in southern Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Houthis said on Saturday that Saudi airstrikes had killed 12 people in Yemen, including three children.
The latest developments underscore growing regional tensions as diplomatic efforts continue among Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to coordinate their responses to the escalating conflict.
