What does Egypt's military move mean for Libya?

There are mounting fears of a renewed escalation in military confrontations in Libya, after Egypt made moves indicating it may potentially be ready to intervene with ground troops there for the first time.

Late on Monday, Egyptian lawmakers approved the deployment of its troops abroad, though they did not name Libya.

The lawmakers' approval comes after a warning by Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi that Egypt would not remain idle if there is a threat to its national security or to neighbouring Libya.

Lawmakers stopped short of providing a time frame for any intervention or naming the oil-rich North African state in their latest vote, but they said it was to defend their national security on the "strategic western front against the work of armed criminal militias…" and what they described as "foreign terrorist elements".

Egypt is among three countries that have been overtly supporting Libya's renegade General Khalifa Haftar's military operations.

This includes his 2019 year-long failed bid to overtake the capital Tripoli - which is the power-base of his rivals, the internationally recognised government headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

The Libyan government is militarily backed by Turkey.

In the last two months, the front line has gradually shifted towards central Libya's City of Sirte - which is the gateway to the country's oil in the east.

On the weekend, France, Germany and Italy warned that they were ready to consider possible sanctions against countries that continue to violate the UN arms embargo on Libya.

France has previously been accused of supporting Gen Haftar as well - which it denies.