Egypt · Full chronicle and history

On October 20, 2026, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made a tough statement regarding security threats from Egypt in public remarks. He claimed that, to ensure Egypt does not attack Israel, Egypt must be made aware that if it launches an attack, it will lose the Sinai Peninsula. Smotrich also noted that Egyptian President Sisi had previously taken the initiative to declare that Egypt has no territorial ambitions.

On October 18, 2026, the Egyptian National Defense Council, chaired by Egyptian President Sisi, held a meeting and formally approved providing all necessary and feasible support to Saudi Arabia to help it deal with the escalating Houthi attacks. The council also announced full support for Riyadh and called for easing the current crisis through diplomatic channels.

According to Clash Report, the Egyptian parliament convened an emergency meeting on October 18 to discuss matters related to providing military support to Saudi Arabia. The meeting was subsequently adjourned, with discussions planned to resume on October 19. Egyptian President Sisi stated that Egypt would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi security if a request is made by Saudi Arabia, a move set against the backdrop of recent Houthi activities.

According to @clashreport, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi pledged on October 17, 2026, that Egypt would take the necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requests assistance, and reiterated that he will step down when his term ends in 2030.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister held a phone call with the Iranian Foreign Minister, calling on the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels to immediately cease attacks on Saudi Arabia and prioritize diplomacy.

During his visit to Egypt, Xi Jinping met with President El-Sisi in Cairo. China and Egypt signed more than 20 documents covering economic and trade, science and technology, and security cooperation, among other areas.

On the evening of September 1, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo for a state visit to Egypt, and on the same day published a signed article in the Egyptian media.

According to the Lude Society program, Xi Jinping visited Egypt this month in an effort to advance the situation in the Middle East. During the trip, an Egyptian bank's UAE branch was frozen by the United States, after which Egypt turned to dealing with the banking crisis.

After the 2026 China-Egypt "Eagle of Civilization" joint military exercise, the Egyptian government sent a purchase offer to France's Dassault Aviation, ordering 24 additional Rafale fighter jets, with the total order value exceeding $1 billion.

The Chinese military and the Egyptian military held the Eagle of Civilization 2026 joint exercise. Chinese domestic media reported that the J-16 fighter jet engaged in simulated air combat with the Egyptian Air Force's Rafale and won a sweeping victory.

On August 14, 2026, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the air forces of China and Egypt will hold a joint air combat training exercise codenamed “Eagle of Civilization 2026” in Egypt from mid-August to early September.