Stories
Mecca Pact Faces First Major Test Amid Houthi Threat: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey Meet
- •Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are holding an emergency meeting in Riyadh to address escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
- •The meeting will activate the newly formed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which treats an attack on one nation as an attack on all three.
- •Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will attend.
- •Saudi Arabia faces intensifying missile and drone attacks from Houthis, who claimed targeting an Aramco facility in Riyadh.
- •Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif pledged support for Saudi security, while Iran suggested political engagement with Houthis.
Key Questions Answered
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is a trilateral collective security pact signed on August 7, 2026, by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Under the treaty's terms, an armed attack on any one of the member countries is formally treated as an attack on all three.
The three nations are holding an emergency meeting in Riyadh to discuss regional developments, escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, and progress on establishing the alliance's military and institutional framework. This marks the first major test for the newly formed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement amid intense fighting.
Iranian officials suggested engaging the Houthi movement through political channels as an alternative to kinetic military action. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar noted that while the proposal was a brainstorming discussion rather than a solid written offer, Iran indicated it wants the issue resolved.
