Egypt's Sisi vows to protect Gulf states as Yemeni crisis deepens

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi vowed on Saturday to provide protection to the Gulf States when required, official MENA news agency reported.

"Egypt will not give up its brothers in the Gulf region and we will protect them if necessary," the Egyptian president said following a meeting with the country's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

The president's statement came as a Saudi-led 10-nation coalition continued launching airstrikes against the Shiite Houthi militants in Yemen who seized several cities in the country since September 2014 and have recently forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee to the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The Yemeni crisis raises fears that the Houthis, widely perceived to be backed by Iran, may seize the nearby Bab al-Mandab Strait and pose a threat to the national security of the surrounding Gulf States. Tehran denies that it is arming the Shiite militants.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia have also deployed their warships at the strait that represents the only access to Egypt's Suez Canal from the southern Arabian Sea and is vital for trade between Europe and Asia.

"Bab al-Mandab Strait is a matter of Egyptian and Arab national security," President Sisi said in his statement, stressing that the unity among Arab nations is necessary to protect their national security.

The Egyptian leader added that they are working within "a political framework" that is meant to avoid losses for any of the concerned parties.

The Houthis, supported by fighters still loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, took hold of Hadi's palace in southern seaside city of Aden, but the coalition's airstrikes forced them to give it up only the next day.

Egypt is currently providing naval support to the coalition, which airdropped on Friday weapons and equipment supplies to pro-Hadi tribal militia in Aden to fight against the Houthi militants. Endit