Egypt to extend participation in military operation in Yemen

The Egypt's National Defense Council on Thursday decided to extend the country's participation in a Saudi-led military operation in Yemen for another year, Sputnik reported.

"The National Defense Council agreed to extend the participation of the necessary elements of the Egyptian armed forces in a combat mission outside its borders to defend the national security of Egypt and the Arab world... This is for a year or until the end of the combat mission," the Egypt's presidency said in a statement, as quoted by Al Yamania News.

Yemen is mired into a military conflict between the Houthi opposition forces and the internationally-backed government.

Egypt has been carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions as a member of the US-led international coalition at the request of Yemen's President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi since March 2015.