The Egyptian cabinet on Sunday approved extending army missions abroad to protect the Egyptian and Arab national security in the Arab Gulf, the Red Sea and Bab Al Mandab Strait.

In a session under Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, the cabinet endorsed a request by the Ministry of Defense to extend the missions for more three months until the end of the combat mission.

On March 26, a presidential decree was issued to send army units in a combat mission in the Arab Gulf and the Red Sea for only 40 days.