Turkiye Ready to Support Saudi Arabia's Security Amid Escalating Houthi Attacks, Says Foreign Minister

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that Saudi Arabia might face unmet military requirements due to ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, stating that Turkiye is prepared to consider ways to support the kingdom under a trilateral defence pact.

During an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV on Friday, Fidan emphasized that it is unacceptable for Saudi Arabia to be drawn into the US-Iran war and noted that Riyadh has no interest in joining the conflict. He mentioned that various proposals have been communicated to all parties involved to help halt the fighting, though he provided no further details.

The region continues to see an escalation as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia exchange attacks in the Yemen conflict, with the Houthis advancing to control large portions of the Red Sea coast, including the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Pakistan has also committed to defending Saudi Arabia through the same defence agreement. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s military, stated to Arab News on Thursday that Islamabad is ready to defend Saudi Arabia to any extent, including physically, though he stopped short of confirming whether Riyadh requested additional Pakistani troops. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office clarified that no military response is currently under discussion within the framework of the pact, noting that Islamabad will take action when the time comes.

The trilateral agreement, officially designated as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, was originally signed on August 7 in Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Following an Istanbul meeting on August 31, officials officially renamed the coalition the Mecca Defence Alliance and agreed to establish a Riyadh-based secretariat initially led by a Pakistani secretary-general. The core principle of the alliance dictates that an armed assault against any of the three member states is considered an attack against all of them.

Reflecting on the alliance earlier, Fidan highlighted that the coalition is founded on respecting state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-intervention in internal affairs, while remaining open to future members. However, analysts remain skeptical about the practical strength of the pact, pointing out that it lacks the integrated command structure and standing forces characteristic of NATO, leaving its institutional framework and the precise mechanism for triggering its mutual defence clause unclear.

The trilateral arrangement emerged amid escalating anxieties among Gulf states regarding the possibility of being dragged into the broader US-Iran war, which has persisted for more than six months following the initial strikes by Washington and Israel against Iran in February.