Mecca Pact Activated After Houthi Attacks
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan have activated collective defence measures under the Mecca Pact after a fresh escalation in Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi territory, including civilian, economic and religious sites.
Mecca Pact Activated After Houthi Attacks
The decision was taken during an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Riyadh.
The three countries agreed to provide military forces and capabilities for rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia under previously approved arrangements.
Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said the measures were triggered in response to attacks against the kingdom and those responsible for them.
Pakistan and Türkiye to Support Saudi Arabia
The Mecca Pact, signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye in August 2026, establishes a collective defence framework under which an attack on one member can be treated as an attack on all three.
Its activation follows intensified Houthi attacks against Saudi targets, including claimed strikes on airports, military installations and energy infrastructure.
Saudi authorities have also accused the Houthis of targeting areas linked to Islam’s holy sites, including infrastructure serving Medina. The Houthis have denied responsibility for some of those incidents.
Yemen Fighting Escalates Around Red Sea
The collective defence move comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launch a major counteroffensive against the Iran-aligned Houthis.
Fighting has intensified around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Yemen’s Red Sea coast, with government forces attempting to regain territory captured by the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia has simultaneously intensified air operations in Yemen, while Pakistan and Türkiye are preparing agreed military support for the kingdom.
