Egypt extends participation in Bab al-Mandab operations

Egypt's National Defense Council extended the military's participation in military operations in Bab al-Mandab, the presidency said in a statement. 

"The National Defense Council agreed during the meeting to extend the participation of the required elements from the Egyptian armed forces in a combat operation outside the nation's border to defend Egyptian and Arab national security in the Gulf, Red Sea, and Bab al-Mandab areas," the statement said.

Egypt has sent naval troops to the Bab al-Mandab waterway to protect and combat the smuggling of arms in March 2015, within the Arab coalition operations in Yemen.