Barely seven weeks after Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi territory have presented the new security arrangement with its first serious challenge.

Missiles and drones have targeted civilian, military and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has also reported attempted attacks against the capital, the area around Makkah and infrastructure connected with Yanbu on the Red Sea.

The attacks have inevitably brought Pakistan and Türkiye into the equation. Both countries committed themselves at Makkah to collective defence, and sustained attacks against Saudi territory are forcing that commitment out of the diplomatic sphere and into military planning.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye condemned the attacks and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter. They also called for an urgent meeting of their military chiefs to consider assistance to Riyadh under the Makkah agreement.

The three military chiefs subsequently met in Riyadh, where discussions covered intelligence sharing, military coordination and integration of capabilities. They also reaffirmed the principle of collective defence.

Islamabad’s position is particularly relevant for India. Pakistan has described the agreement as defensive and an instrument of “collective deterrence”, avoiding any suggestion that Pakistani forces are preparing for offensive operations in Yemen. At the same time, it has unequivocally supported Saudi sovereignty, territorial integrity and the kingdom’s right to protect its population and strategic assets.

Pakistan does not need to enter the war in Yemen for the agreement to acquire military substance. Intelligence sharing, air and missile defence, surveillance, technical personnel, logistics and the protection of Saudi critical infrastructure would already constitute substantial Pakistani........

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