Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said his country is prepared to take any measures requested by Saudi Arabia to defend the kingdom’s security and sovereignty, according to the state-run Nile TV, in a Xinhua report.

Sisi said the measure requires parliamentary approval and called on parliament to convene an emergency session to authorize action should it be asked to intervene: “I am not talking about waging war against anyone; I am speaking strictly in terms of defense”.