# Egypt’s Diplomacy: Clever or Clumsy?

> Egypt balances Gaza, Iran, UAE and Houthi crises without losing ground.
- Title: Egypt’s Diplomacy: Clever or Clumsy? · Foreign Policy
- Summary: Egypt balances Gaza, Iran, UAE and Houthi crises without losing ground. Egypt navigates regional conflicts by balancing competing interests without clear…
- Keywords: egypt, gaza, iran, uae, houthi, sisi, middle east, diplomacy, red sea, suez canal, saudi arabia, military
- Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/29/egypt-iran-diplomacy-uae-gaza-israel-united-states-houthis
- Author: Steven A. Cook
- Published: 2026-09-30T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: egypt, gaza, iran, uae, houthi, sisi, middle east, diplomacy, red sea, suez canal, saudi arabia, military
## Regional Wars
Egypt navigates Middle East conflicts without direct involvement.
## Egypt’s Position
Cairo avoids battle zones except Gaza.
## Hamas Attack
Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in October 2023.
## Egypt’s Response
Egypt warned against Gaza escalation while supporting Palestinians.
## International Court
Egypt joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.
## Sinai Deployment
Egypt deployed forces into Sinai to block Gaza resettle.
## Egypt-Israel Ties
Egypt maintains security partnerships with Israel and US.
## Hamas Warning
Egypt warned Israel about Hamas attack before October 7.
## Iran Crisis
Egypt coordinated with Saudi, Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan on Iran.
## UAE Tension
Egypt offered UAE support after drone attacks on Dubai.
## Rafale Deployment
Egypt sent Rafale fighters to UAE for security talks.
## Red Sea Crisis
Houthi attacks cost Egypt $10 billion in Suez Canal tolls.
## Saudi Request
Saudi Crown Prince sought Egyptian help against Houthi threat.
## Egypt’s Strategy
Egypt balances competing interests without clear failure.
## Key takeaway

Egypt navigates regional conflicts by balancing competing interests without clear failure.