Turkey Pakistan Saudi Arabia Prepare Joint Military Deployment Against Houthi Threats
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan have taken a significant step toward strengthening their collective defense by agreeing to deploy coordinated military forces on Saudi territory. This decision follows an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee of the Mecca Defense Alliance, held amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The joint statement from the meeting outlines plans to implement collective defense commitments, allocate military assets, and facilitate rapid deployment, though specific details on troop numbers, units, and timelines remain undisclosed.
The three nations reaffirmed their commitment to the principle that the security of each state is intertwined with the collective security of the alliance. The Mecca Agreement on Collective Defense, signed on August 7, 2026, binds the countries to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. Despite this pact, the allies have yet to respond operationally to previous Houthi strikes, including one on the Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Jazan.
At the same meeting, the alliance appointed Retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as its first secretary-general for a three-year term. This move marks progress in establishing a permanent organizational structure, following earlier agreements to locate the secretariat in Saudi Arabia. The allies also plan to develop joint military capabilities, defense industry cooperation, and weapons production. In September, foreign ministers of the three countries discussed these plans during the UN General Assembly.
The joint statement condemned recent Houthi attacks on Mecca, Medina, and Saudi civilian targets. Turkey has already expressed readiness to support Saudi Arabia militarily, while the UK and France have provided additional assistance, including air defense systems and refueling aircraft. Saudi Arabia also leads a 14-country naval coalition to counter Houthi activities in the Red Sea and adjacent straits.