Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye move to activate Mecca defence pact amid Houthi attacks

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have moved to strengthen coordination under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement

RIYADH/ANKARA/ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have moved to strengthen coordination under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as Riyadh faces a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks linked to the conflict in Yemen.

The foreign ministers of the three countries held consultations in New York on Thursday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and discussed arrangements for an urgent meeting of their military chiefs to consider possible support for Saudi Arabia under the defence agreement.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan participated in the meeting. According to official statements, the ministers strongly condemned attacks targeting Mecca as well as civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia. They also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s right to defend itself under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The development comes after Saudi Arabia reported that its air defences intercepted six ballistic missiles launched towards Taif and Yanbu. Saudi authorities also issued alerts in several areas following the attacks. The Houthis separately claimed missile and drone strikes against targets in Riyadh and facilities linked to Saudi Aramco in Yanbu.

Under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye on August 7, an armed attack against any one of the three states is to be regarded as an attack against all three. The agreement is intended to strengthen collective security and defence cooperation while operating within the framework of international law.

The agreement has already entered an institutionalisation phase. On August 31, foreign and defence ministers and senior military commanders from the three countries met in Istanbul for the first session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the pact. The participants included Pakistan’s Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, alongside their Saudi and Turkish counterparts.

A permanent secretariat for the alliance is being established in Riyadh, while Pakistan is set to provide its first secretary-general for a three-year term. The arrangement is intended to provide an institutional mechanism for continued coordination between the three countries.

Turkish officials have described the agreement as a framework for regional security cooperation rather than an arrangement aimed at creating confrontation with another country. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the pact seeks to strengthen security, stability and cooperation and remains open to participation by other regional states.

The immediate focus is now on the proposed meeting of the three countries’ chiefs of staff. Officials have not announced a specific date or disclosed what form any potential military support could take.

The latest diplomatic coordination therefore marks a significant step in implementing the defence framework, while the three governments continue to emphasise collective security, international law, protection of civilian and economic infrastructure, and efforts toward de-escalation and regional stability.