Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey Deepen Military Ties Amid Houthi Attacks

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey have agreed to boost military and intelligence cooperation as Houthi rebels in Yemen continue strikes on the kingdom.

The chiefs of the three nations' armed forces met in Riyadh on Friday under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, discussing methods to strengthen intelligence sharing, military coordination, and defence capability integration. They reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and safeguarding Saudi Arabia's security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The meeting comes amid a sharp increase in Houthi attacks. Saudi authorities have reported missile and drone assaults on Riyadh, Taif, and Yanbu, with Saudi air defences intercepting numerous missiles. Saudi Arabia has also recorded attacks or attempted attacks on civilian and commercial targets.

On August 7, the three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which commits them to expanding defence cooperation and boosting collective deterrence. Under the agreement, an armed attack on any of the three countries is considered an attack on all three.

The current meeting comes after negotiations between the countries' foreign ministers in New York on the fringes of the UN General Assembly. These discussions centred on plans for military leaders to discuss support for Saudi Arabia under the new defence architecture.

However, the pact does not guaranty that Pakistan or Turkey will commit combat forces against the Houthis. Both countries have taken measured positions on the scope of their involvement, while talks about the pact's practical implementation continue.

Turkey, for example, still requires parliamentary approval for the agreement to be implemented under its constitutional framework.

The Riyadh conference signals a shift from building the alliance's formal structure to practical military cooperation, with the three parties pledging to translate their promises into stronger collective defence systems.