Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye call emergency military meeting

RIYADH/NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye are preparing an urgent meeting of their senior military officials to discuss ways to support the Kingdom following a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

The planned meeting comes under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries on August 7. The pact provides for an attack against one member to be treated as an attack against all three, creating a framework for closer defence coordination.

According to Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, the three countries will discuss possible mechanisms for supporting Saudi Arabia under the agreement. The development follows renewed Houthi attacks targeting Saudi territory, including areas near major cities and strategic facilities.

The arrangements for the military meeting were discussed during a meeting of the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to review the implementation of the defence pact and regional security developments. The ministers also discussed progress in establishing the agreement’s institutional structure, including its secretariat, committees and working groups.

The three ministers strongly condemned attacks targeting Makkah as well as civilian and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. They also expressed support for Saudi Arabia’s right to defend its territory and commended the Saudi armed forces for their efforts to protect the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has faced intensified attacks from the Houthis in recent days. Saudi authorities said on Thursday that six ballistic missiles launched by the group had been intercepted, while alerts were issued for several areas, including Makkah, Jeddah and Yanbu.

The latest diplomatic and military coordination marks another step in putting the Makkah agreement’s structures into operation. At an inaugural meeting in Istanbul on August 31, officials from the three countries began work on establishing the alliance’s institutional framework, with Pakistan selected to head its secretariat in Riyadh. Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood was subsequently appointed as the agreement’s first secretary general.

The foreign ministers also reaffirmed the importance of international law, respect for state sovereignty, non-interference and the security and freedom of maritime navigation. They said the three countries would continue working toward regional peace, stability and peaceful solutions to ongoing crises.

The upcoming chiefs-of-staff meeting is therefore expected to focus on the practical aspects of defence coordination, while the three governments continue to publicly emphasize regional stability and diplomatic efforts.