Pakistan has formally joined the Saudi-led Mecca Defense Alliance, agreeing with Riyadh and Ankara on the deployment of forces and capabilities to counter the Houthi movement in Yemen. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced the agreement Monday evening as the alliance convened in Riyadh.
Pakistan's decision marks a significant escalation in the regional coalition against the Iran-backed Houthis. The Mecca Defense Alliance, established earlier this year between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, activates collective-defense commitments as Saudi Arabia intensifies military operations following Houthi strikes on Saudi and Emirati infrastructure. As The Zioneer previously reported, Saudi Arabia had formally requested the alliance's activation after a Houthi missile hit Riyadh airport in September. Tonight's convening in Riyadh formalizes Pakistan's participation, with forces expected to support the Saudi-led campaign to secure the Bab al-Mandab strait and break the Houthi oil blockade. The details of the force composition remain undisclosed.
3 developments
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Source and signal
- Open-source intake