Egypt's parliament has postponed a vote on authorising military support for Saudi Arabia until 26 October, amid growing political debate over President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's request to deploy forces to help Riyadh confront Houthi attacks from Yemen.
The postponement comes as Egyptian political parties and public figures call for a diplomatic solution to the escalating conflict, warning against drawing the country into another regional war without clearly defined objectives or an assessment of the potential costs.
Lawmakers delayed the vote after debating whether Egyptian forces should be sent to Saudi Arabia to support its confrontation with Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Sisi has requested parliamentary authorisation to provide air defence forces and logistical support to help Saudi Arabia counter Houthi missiles and drones.
The Egyptian National Defence Council, chaired by the president, has also expressed Cairo's readiness to provide Saudi Arabia with necessary and available forms of assistance.
However, the prospect of military involvement has divided political parties, with some supporting the proposed authorisation and others demanding clearer limits on any deployment.
Calls for mediation instead of military intervention
The debate has intensified following a call by Al-Azhar's Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, for an urgent mediation initiative involving prominent Arab and Muslim figures to help end regional conflicts.
Tayeb called on Sunday for an immediate and comprehensive halt to fighting and destruction, proposing the formation of a committee of respected figures from Arab and Islamic countries to defuse tensions and bring opposing parties closer together.
He also expressed Al-Azhar's readiness to support the initiative.
The proposal has gained support from Egyptian political parties and public figures seeking to prioritise negotiations over military intervention.
Egypt's Grand Mufti Nazir Ayyad welcomed the initiative, calling for dialogue and efforts to promote peace.
The Constitution Party also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia against threats to its security and sovereignty but urged caution over any decision that could involve Egypt in a regional military confrontation.
It called for the proposed military authorisation to have clearly defined objectives, limits and conditions, while stressing the importance of ending the war through mediation and diplomatic efforts.
The Egyptian Social Democratic Party adopted a more cautious position, instructing its parliamentary representatives to abstain from voting on the request.
While reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia, the party argued that insufficient information had been provided about the nature of the proposed military missions.
It warned that Egyptian involvement could expose the country's interests and infrastructure to additional risks, particularly shipping through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Suez Canal.
Lawmaker Reda Abdel Salam proposed limiting any Egyptian deployment to defending Saudi territory and critical infrastructure, including airports and water and electricity facilities, while avoiding combat operations inside Yemen.
Parties divided over risks of involvement
Other Egyptian parties have backed Sisi's request, arguing that Saudi Arabia's security is closely linked to Egypt's national security and wider Arab stability.
The parliamentary blocs of the Wafd Party, the Republican People's Party and the Justice Party have expressed support for the proposed authorisation.
However, even among those supporting assistance to Riyadh, questions remain over the scope of any deployment and the risks of prolonged involvement.
Justice Party deputy leader and MP Mohamed Fouad told The New Arab that a decision of this magnitude required a serious discussion of its objectives, limitations and possible consequences.
He said political parties should move beyond simply supporting or opposing the proposal and examine the circumstances under which Egyptian forces might be deployed.
Fouad stressed that previous regional conflicts demonstrated the importance of establishing clear objectives from the outset, warning against open-ended military operations that could drain human and economic resources.
He argued that supporting Saudi Arabia did not contradict efforts to reduce tensions, and that political and diplomatic engagement remained essential to preventing a wider conflict.