Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey agreed at an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday, 5 October 2026, to put the collective defence commitments of the “Mecca pact” into effect without delay and to rapidly deploy the agreed military forces and capabilities on Saudi soil. The decision was taken in response to missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic.
According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the meeting was the second session of the pact’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee. In a joint statement, the parties said that, in order to put the collective defence commitments into practice, they would provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and deploy them rapidly in Saudi Arabia. The committee condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia in the strongest terms. Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Field Marshal Asim Munir, the army chief, and Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, attended the meeting. Retired General Nauman Mahmood of Pakistan was also appointed as the alliance’s first secretary general for a three-year term.
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
According to Dawn, the statement referred to recent Houthi attacks, including attempts to target Mecca and Medina and strikes on cities and civilian and economic facilities. Gulf News also reported a ballistic missile attack on Riyadh, a drone attack on a power plant in Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, and the injury of a foreign worker by falling missile debris in the Asir region. The Houthis had earlier claimed an attack on Aramco facilities in Riyadh.
What is the Mecca pact
The Mecca defence pact was signed by the three countries on 7 August 2026 and regards an armed attack on any one member as an attack on all. According to media reports, Pakistan had already deployed fighter jets, an air defence system and thousands of troops in Saudi Arabia in May. The decision coincides with a counteroffensive by Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition; forces which earlier announced they had retaken the port of Mokha from the Houthis.
With the Mecca pact activated, two of the region’s military powers, Pakistan and Turkey, now stand directly alongside Saudi Arabia against the Houthis, allies of the Islamic Republic.
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