Illustrative image. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Amy Abbott)
Egypt’s parliament on October 26 authorized President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi to provide military support to Saudi Arabia against attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah.
The authorization, approved by a two-thirds majority following closed-door deliberations, allows Sisi to take necessary measures in coordination with Riyadh to defend Saudi territory, sovereignty and holy sites against external aggression.
A regional official briefed on the plans told The Associated Press that Egypt would provide air defense systems and warplanes to help intercept missiles and drones targeting Saudi Arabia. The official said the support would not include deploying ground troops to Yemen.
Sisi has repeatedly stressed that Cairo’s role would be strictly defensive, seeking to reassure Egyptians concerned that the country could become entangled in another regional war.
“I’m not speaking about fighting anyone or attacking anyone. I’m speaking only for defense,” Sisi said earlier this month.
He also reiterated that Egypt’s military effort would focus on protecting Saudi territory and borders rather than conducting attacks on Yemen.
The limited scope of the proposed mission means Egypt’s decision is unlikely to significantly change the military balance inside Yemen.
Egyptian air defense systems and warplanes could help Riyadh withstand further missile and drone attacks, but the announced approach does not involve an Egyptian ground campaign or direct strikes against Houthi positions across the border in Yemen.
Egypt’s involvement in the war has been cautious before. Cairo joined the Saudi-led military intervention in 2015, initially contributing naval and air forces to the campaign against the Houthis. However, it did not deploy ground troops to Yemen, and its contribution remained limited, with maritime security around the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait a central concern.
Egypt renewed its participation in the coalition during the following year but never became a major ground-combat participant in the conflict.
The latest authorization therefore provides Riyadh with the prospect of additional defensive military support without signaling a large-scale Egyptian campaign inside Yemen.
Cairo has also continued to call for a diplomatic settlement, reflecting its interest in protecting its Gulf partnerships and the maritime routes linking the Red Sea to the Suez Canal.
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The post Military Situation In Yemen On October 26, 2026 (Map Update) appeared first on South Front.
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Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) released footage on October 26 showing attacks with Rujum drones against Saudi military targets along the border in the provinces of Najran, Jizan and Asir.
The video, which runs for more than six minutes, shows the drones tracking targets across mountainous and rocky terrain before striking fortified positions, troop gatherings and military vehicles. One of the vehicles hit was an M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.
The Rujum is a modified version of the Chinese-made YD6-1000S hexacopter bomber drone featuring a 44-minute flight time and a 2 kg payload capacity, adapted to deploy munitions such as 60 mm mortars.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of scores of Saudi troops being killed or wounded along the border. No official overall toll has been published, however.
The escalation along the Yemen-Saudi border could be a prelude to a large-scale Houthi raid into the kingdom. The group carried out several successful incursions in the past, sometimes advancing multiple kilometers into Najran, Jizan and Asir.
Such a move by the Houthis could further complicate the situation for Saudi Arabia, which is already struggling to stop the advance of the Houthis inside Yemen and to counter the group’s deep strikes on Saudi territory.
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The post In Video: Houthis Unleash Rajum Drones Against Saudi Forces on Three Broder Fronts appeared first on South Front.
Press TV – October 26, 2026
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says a meeting in Tehran with senior officials from Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could lay the groundwork for a regional security framework based on the interests and decisions of countries in the region.
Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Baghaei said Tehran would host Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, Pakistan’s army chief and Turkey’s intelligence chief as part of an initiative to discuss regional security.
He stated that the initiative was proposed during Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran and was welcomed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Responding to a question from IRNA about the purpose and format of the gathering, Baghaei said the participation of senior officials from the three countries reflected efforts to explore mechanisms for regional security.
“From our perspective, the fact that regional countries are seeking to establish, or at least consider, regional security mechanisms based on their own interests and concerns is a welcome development,” he said.
“This meeting could serve as a prelude to further steps toward shaping endogenous security, an issue we have insisted on for decades. We have consistently emphasized that regional security can only be ensured by relying on the will and security considerations of the countries of the region,” Baghaei added.
He noted that developments over the past two years, particularly the past eight months, had demonstrated the importance of cooperation among regional countries.
“Recent events have shown that sustainable and reliable security in our region can only be achieved through building trust and cooperation among regional countries,” the spokesman said.
Baghaei said the visiting officials would hold discussions with the Iranian president and the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
As this is the first meeting of its kind, he said, a range of issues would be on the agenda, with regional security challenges expected to feature prominently.
“Such a meeting cannot be held without taking into account the consequences of the United States’ military aggression against Iran for the security of the entire region,” Baghaei said, describing the issue as another important subject that should be considered within the framework of regional security discussions.
Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Bagheri Kani said the three senior officials are scheduled to meet with SNSC Secretary Major General Mohsen Rezaei and participate in a joint session on Monday.
Regional countries must strengthen capabilities to counter Israel
Responding to reports of disagreements between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli army chief over a possible attack on Iran, Baghaei said such differences would have no impact on Iran’s defensive preparedness.
“Despite possible differences in tactics, this group is united in its aggression and expansionism,” he said, adding that the regime’s actions across the region showed it was pursuing a common course aimed at undermining regional security.
He stressed that regional countries must enhance their capabilities to confront the Israeli regime’s threats and destabilizing actions.
Iran unconcerned about who rules in Israeli regime
Commenting on the upcoming Knesset elections in the occupied territories, Baghaei dismissed the process as a genuine democratic election, describing it instead as competition among rival groups seeking to commit greater crimes.
“For us, it makes no difference who ultimately takes the helm of the Zionist regime,” he said, noting that its record had brought nothing to the region but violence and bloodshed.
Armed forces will firmly counter threats
Responding to reports about the deployment of drone bases near Iran, Baghaei said Iran’s relevant authorities were closely monitoring developments surrounding the country, including reports of drone bases near its borders and Ukrainian activities in Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
“Those responsible for monitoring these developments are following the situation carefully and will act whenever necessary to defend the country and repel hostile actions and threats,” he said.
He emphasized that Iran’s armed forces had firmly defended the country whenever threats or hostile activities targeted its territory and would continue to do so.
Europe part of the problem
Baghaei expressed doubt that European countries had genuinely changed their approach toward Iran, pointing out that their renewed emphasis on diplomacy could amount to a political gesture.
He slammed Europeans for contributing to the crisis by aligning with the United States over the so-called snapback mechanism and failing to condemn US-Israeli military aggression against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Baghaei said Tehran hoped the three European countries would assess regional developments more realistically and adopt an independent and constructive approach toward West Asian affairs.
Brazilian people resisted unfair pressure
Commenting on Brazil’s presidential election and the defeat of the right-wing camp aligned with US President Donald Trump, Baghaei said the outcome demonstrated the Brazilian people’s determination to make independent political choices.
“The people of Brazil showed that they would not submit to misleading narratives and unjustified pressure, and that they would choose what they consider to be in their country’s best interests,” he said.
File image.
Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced on October 26 that they struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a ballistic missile and Saudi Arabia’s East-West crude oil pipeline with drones, while announcing separate missile attacks on military positions and weapons depots in Aden and Lahij.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the movement’s military spokesman, said the airport had been targeted with a ballistic missile.
“Our armed forces, with God’s grace, successfully targeted King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi enemy’s capital, Riyadh, with a ballistic missile, and the hit was accurate,” Saree said.
He added that the group had “carried out an operation targeting crude oil pumping stations on the East-West line with several drones,” saying the strikes had also hit their targets.
The Saudi-led coalition, from its part, said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh. Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki announced the interception after Saudi authorities issued an aerial-threat alert for the capital. Explosions had been heard in Riyadh a day earlier amid similar warnings.
In a second statement, Saree announced two missile attacks against Saudi-backed military positions in southern Yemen, identifying the targets as troop concentrations and weapons depots in the Salah al-Din area of Aden and the al-Wahat area of Lahij.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces, with God Almighty’s help, carried out two special military operations targeting the Saudi enemy’s troop concentrations and weapons depots in the Salah al-Din area of Aden governorate and the al-Wahat area of Lahij governorate using several ballistic missiles,” Saree said.
He claimed the attacks caused “dozens of dead and wounded” and destroyed and burned military vehicles and weapons depots. Saree also said the targeted facilities were supervised by Saudi officer Badr al-Harbi.
Reports of explosions emerged from the same general areas. Al Jazeera reported that a correspondent heard an explosion in Salah al-Din, west of Aden, and that loud blasts were heard between Aden and Lahij.
Yemen’s Information Ministry separately said two missiles had fallen near displaced-person camps in Salah al-Din, but did not provide casualty figures or details of damage.
The Houthis continue to escalate strikes against Saudi Arabia and its allies, and despite the kingdom’s recent efforts to secure defensive support, it remains vulnerable to the group’s missiles and drones. This situation will not likely change any time soon as the Houthis appear to have amassed enough capabilities for a prolonged conflict.
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The post Houthis Target Riyadh Airport and Saudi Oil Lifeline (Videos) appeared first on South Front.
There appears to be little prospect of lasting peace between Iran and the United States while Donald Trump remains in the White House. This is a view that an increasing number of serious actors across the region now seem to share. Eight months into the Iran war, Washington has neither broken Tehran’s resolve nor found […]
The post Why the Middle East is already waiting out Trump’s presidency appeared first on Asia Times.
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