00:00Egypt says it is ready to help defend Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks in the region intensify.
00:07President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is seeking parliamentary approval for possible
00:12military assistance to Riyadh, although a final vote is still pending.
00:17Any Egyptian military backing for the kingdom could mark a major escalation in the Middle East.
00:24He said Cairo would help defend its Gulf Arab ally if requested.
00:28The Egyptian military is one of the Arab world's largest military.
00:32However, this move could expose Cairo to Houthi retaliation.
00:37Since Yemen's war reignited in July, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Saudi targets,
00:42including energy facilities and Riyadh's international airport, killing 12 people and injuring more than 300.
00:49The conflict with the Houthis poses risks not only to Saudi Arabia's security and energy exports,
00:55but also to Egypt, where disruption to Red Sea shipping could further reduce revenues from the Suez Canal.
01:02Egypt has been a close partner of Saudi Arabia for years.
01:05Egypt previously had joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015 in its fight against the Houthis.
