Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye defence officials resolve to assist Riyadh in wake of Houthi attacks
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye have formed the Makkah Defence Alliance to provide collective security against Houthi rebel attacks. The agreement mandates mutual defense and increased intelligence sharing among the three nations.
Why it matters
This trilateral pact significantly alters the regional security architecture in the Middle East by formalizing military cooperation between a Gulf power and two major non-Arab Muslim nations.
The top defence officials of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye have resolved to defend the security of the Gulf Kingdom under the Makkah Defence Alliance in the wake of recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the Pakistan Army said on Saturday (September 26, 2026).
The trilateral defence agreement, signed by the three countries last month, establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of them would be regarded as an attack against all.
The meeting of the chiefs of defence forces and chiefs of general staff of the countries was held in Riyadh on Friday (September 25, 2026), according to a statement by the army.
They reviewed the security situation and the threats facing Saudi Arabia.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in