Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan Discuss Joint Response as Houthi Attacks Intensify

Discussing Activation of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
Preparing to Convene an Emergency Meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of the Three Countries

As Yemen’s Houthi rebels linked to Iran intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have begun discussions on response measures in line with their joint defense agreement.

On September 25 (local time), according to Saudi Gazette and other local foreign media, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan held a meeting within the framework of the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” condemning the attacks targeting Mecca—the Islamic holy site in Saudi Arabia—as well as civilian facilities.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a collective defense pact signed by the three countries on August 7, stipulates that an attack on any one member state is considered an attack on all member states. Turkey has recently stated its willingness to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in accordance with this agreement.

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The ministers (of the three countries) also discussed preparations to convene an emergency meeting of the three countries’ chiefs of staff to discuss ways to support Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” emphasizing, “This agreement defines an attack on any one party as an attack on all parties.”

The Houthi rebels have recently escalated their attacks on Saudi territory and energy facilities. On September 24, they announced that they had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward targets inside Saudi Arabia, while Saudi authorities reported that they had intercepted six ballistic missiles.

Saudi Arabia issued emergency alerts for several regions, including Mecca, Jeddah, and Yanbu—which is a key oil export port. Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan, called on military personnel to continue fighting until the Houthis are ousted from power.

Iran, meanwhile, has sought to distance itself from the recent Houthi offensive. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview broadcast on Fox News in the United States on September 24 (local time), stated, “The Houthis are responsible for their own actions.”

He asserted, “They (the Houthi rebels) are resisting based on the situation they are confronted with, and they do not take orders from us. We do have contacts with them—but we do not have an organized relationship.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.