Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran on Feb. 28, more than a dozen countries in the region have been drawn into the escalating conflict. Egypt, however, is one of a handful of states that has avoided being dragged into the war, which has undermined the region’s stability and security.

A primary reason for Egypt’s non-engagement is the absence of a US military presence on its territory, thanks to the country’s stringent, long-standing policy of not hosting foreign military bases. Unlike other states in the region hosting US bases — namely, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — Egypt has escaped Iranian missile and drone attacks, which have mainly targeted US installations and assets but have also hit energy facilities and infrastructure in those countries.

At the same time, Egypt has chosen not to side militarily with either of the warring camps while also making it clear that it rejects escalation by all involved. Egyptian officials, including President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, have also repeatedly warned that the violence could spiral into a full-scale regional war with high costs for the entire Middle East.  

Economic concerns