Cairo (TDI): Egypt has stepped up diplomatic coordination with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to contain regional tensions, with Cairo and Riyadh agreeing to continue consultations through a four-country ministerial mechanism involving Pakistan and Türkiye as reports of fresh Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia heightened security concerns.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate telephone conversations on Tuesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to statements issued by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
During his conversation with bin Farhan, Abdelatty discussed efforts to contain the crisis and prevent further escalation, emphasizing the need to advance political solutions through dialogue.
The two ministers agreed to maintain close bilateral consultations and coordination through a four-way ministerial mechanism comprising Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye. The grouping aims to strengthen regional consultation, support diplomatic initiatives and encourage peaceful solutions to ongoing conflicts.
In a separate call, Abdelatty and Abdullah bin Zayed discussed regional developments and the growing risk of further escalation. The Egyptian foreign minister stressed the need for countries in the region to coordinate efforts to return all parties to a political process and prevent the crisis from entering a more dangerous phase.
Read More: Saudi-Led Coalition Intercepts Three Houthi Ballistic Missiles
The diplomatic discussions followed Egypt’s parliament approving a mandate for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia and defend its territory, sovereignty and holy sites in coordination with Riyadh, according to Egyptian and regional media reports.
The development comes amid renewed hostilities involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement, which has launched attacks against the kingdom as fighting has intensified.
Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2015, following the Houthis’ takeover of the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country.
The latest escalation has raised concerns about the security of Saudi territory, regional stability and the potential disruption of important trade and shipping routes.
Read More: Egypt’s Parliament Approves Military Support for Saudi Arabia Amid Houthi Attacks
Separately, the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards the western Saudi city of Taif early Wednesday.
Saudi authorities also issued emergency alerts in Jeddah and Yanbu before announcing that the danger had passed. The authorities did not specify the threat that prompted the warnings, and the coalition did not report casualties or damage from the missile interception.
