Egypt has confirmed that its military personnel have been stationed in Saudi Arabia for several months, with plans underway to strengthen its presence in the Kingdom amid rising regional tensions.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty disclosed the deployment during an interview with France 24 on November 9, on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Paris.
Abdelatty said the deployment began several months ago following attacks on Saudi Arabia during the escalation involving Iran. He confirmed that the troops were sent at the request of Riyadh and that Cairo was now working to expand its military presence in the country.
The foreign minister described the mission as defensive, focusing on supporting Saudi Arabia’s air defence capabilities and protecting sensitive locations, including the holy sites.
He also ruled out direct Egyptian military involvement in Yemen, stating that Egyptian forces would not cross the Saudi border to conduct operations on Yemeni territory.
The announcement follows an October 26 decision by Egypt’s parliament authorising President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to take necessary measures, in coordination with Saudi Arabia, to support the Kingdom’s defence. The approval came amid an escalation in Houthi attacks targeting Saudi territory.
Abdelatty’s statement also revealed that Egyptian military personnel were already deployed in Saudi Arabia before the parliamentary authorisation was publicly announced.
However, the Egyptian government has not disclosed the number of troops stationed in the Kingdom, their specific locations or the extent and timeline of the planned reinforcement.
Egypt maintains that its involvement in the regional crisis is focused on providing defensive military support to Saudi Arabia while pursuing diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
