00:01Egypt's parliament has approved military support for Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks.
00:08The decision authorises President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take the necessary measures to support
00:14the kingdom. Sisi had requested parliamentary approval last week, as Houthi advances raised
00:20concerns over the security of Saudi Arabia and the strategically vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
00:26The narrow waterway connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a crucial gateway
00:32for shipping heading towards Egypt's Suez Canal. Egypt, home to one of the region's biggest
00:37militaries, previously joined the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen's war in 2015. Its role
00:43was mainly naval, although Cairo also deployed around 800 ground troops with limited combat
00:48involvement. The latest move could mark a significant shift for Egypt, which has not carried out
00:53a large-scale overseas ground deployment since the 1991 Gulf War.