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Pakistan to Deploy 25,000 Troops to Saudi Arabia Amid Rising Houthi Threat
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Firstpost•03-10-2026, 10:11
Pakistan to Deploy 25,000 Troops to Saudi Arabia Amid Rising Houthi Threat
- •Pakistan is preparing to deploy up to 25,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to counter the escalating Houthi threat, according to a report citing a top security source.
- •More than 15,000 Pakistani troops are already stationed in Saudi Arabia, with additional military support including air defense systems, rockets, and drones planned.
- •The deployment comes as Saudi Arabia prepares for a potential major confrontation with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
- •The troops could be deployed under the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, with military cooperation already underway despite the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement not yet being fully activated.
- •An emergency meeting of the Strategic Political Defence Council is expected in Riyadh to fully activate the Mecca pact, which involves Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan in a trilateral security arrangement.
Key Questions Answered
Pakistan is preparing to deploy up to 25,000 troops to Saudi Arabia, adding to the more than 15,000 Pakistani troops already stationed in the kingdom to counter the growing Houthi threat.
Islamabad is preparing to augment Saudi Arabia's military support with additional defense equipment, which includes air defense systems, rockets, and drones.
Signed in August 2026, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement establishes a trilateral security arrangement where an armed attack on one member state is treated as an attack on all three.
