RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have activated the collective defence commitments of the Mecca Defence Alliance and agreed to rapidly deploy agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia.
First Operational Activation
The decision was taken during an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic-Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh, attended by the defence and foreign ministers of the three countries.
It is the first operational activation of the defence agreement signed in Mecca on August 7, 2026. Under the agreement, an armed attack on one member is treated as an attack on all three.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said the committee agreed to activate collective deterrence measures in response to recent attacks and those responsible for them.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the member states would provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia under approved arrangements and their respective national laws.
Response to Attacks on Saudi Arabia
The three countries reaffirmed that the security of each member is an integral part of the collective security of all three.
They condemned attacks and attempted attacks against Saudi territory, including threats targeting Makkah and Madinah, as well as attacks against Saudi cities and civilian and economic infrastructure.
The decision comes amid an escalation involving Yemen’s Houthi movement. Houthi claims and reports have referred to attacks against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Rabigh and other Saudi sites.
Reports have also referred to an attack on a power distribution station in Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque. Specific Houthi claims about individual attacks have not all been independently confirmed by Saudi Arabia.
Counteroffensive in Yemen
The alliance activation comes as Saudi-backed forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognised government conduct a counteroffensive against the Houthis.
Yemeni forces have reportedly retaken the Red Sea port of Mocha and secured areas around Dhubab and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The Saudi-led coalition has stated that about 100 fighter jets are providing air support.
Alliance Leadership and Military Strength
The committee also appointed retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term. The permanent secretariat is based in Riyadh.
According to the 2026 Global Firepower Index, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye together have nearly 1.4 million active military personnel, about 3,400 military aircraft, 6,000 tanks and more than 340 naval assets.
The alliance was established amid wider regional instability following the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran and subsequent actions by Iran-aligned groups.
Possible Future Expansion
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has indicated that Egypt could potentially join the agreement in the future, subject to resolving technical issues and existing regional arrangements.
For now, the immediate focus is on implementing the collective defence measures and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s security. The three countries have not announced specific Pakistani or Turkish troop numbers or exact deployment timelines.
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