Turkey and Pakistan agree to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia following Houthi airport strikes
Turkey and Pakistan will deploy military forces to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Pact collective defense agreement, following Houthi drone and missile strikes that injured three people at two southern Saudi airports.
Trilateral defense pact activation
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan agreed on 5 October 2026 to enact their mutual defense commitments immediately, preparing the rapid deployment of Turkish and Pakistani military forces into Saudi territory. The accord was reached during an emergency gathering in Riyadh convened by signatories of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. Signed in August 2026, the trilateral pact establishes that an armed attack against any single signatory represents an attack against all three nations and aims to strengthen collective deterrence. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman stated in a message on X that the meeting affirmed the unity of the three governments in addressing recurring attacks directed at the kingdom and its holy sites.
A joint communique released through Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that operational preparations will adhere to previously approved arrangements alongside the national legal procedures of each country. Participating delegates condemned attempts to target Mecca and Medina and agreed to activate collective deterrence mechanisms within the alliance. The three governments emphasized that the rapid deployment aims to reinforce operational readiness, military integration, and collective defense capabilities, declaring that the national security of each member state constitutes an indivisible part of their shared security framework.
The Committee decided to proceed immediately to practical implementation of collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom.
Airport strikes and infrastructure damage
The deployment announcement followed cross-border attacks launched by Houthi fighters against Saudi civilian infrastructure on the evening of 5 October 2026. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that rebel strikes hit King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan province and Najran International Airport near the southern border. The bombardment wounded three individuals and caused physical damage to airport installations.
Civil aviation regulators published an assessment notice on X on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, confirming that safety protocols were enacted to protect travelers and personnel across the national civil aviation network. Technical teams at both regional hubs began evaluating the extent of property damage, while aviation officials maintained emergency security precautions across southern air corridors.
- Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan sign the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
- Saudi-backed Yemeni forces retake territory near Bab al-Mandab up to Mokha
- Allies agree to deploy Turkish and Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia under mutual defense pact
- Houthi drone and missile strikes hit airports in Jazan and Najran, injuring three people
Expanded claims and Yemeni frontline combat
Following the airport strikes, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea stated that rebel forces launched a barrage of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against multiple Saudi locations. Sarea claimed that the operation targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco oil refinery located in Rabigh, Abha International Airport, the Khamis Mushait air base, and the Aqifa military camp in Asir. Saudi authorities did not verify the claims regarding the capital airport or the Rabigh refinery, restricting their official confirmations to the damage and casualties recorded in Jazan and Najran.
The aerial escalation coincided with ground operations conducted by Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops in southwestern Yemen. Government units launched an offensive to retake territory along the Bab al-Mandab Strait following weeks of rebel advances, recapturing positions up to the port city of Mokha. Riyadh escalated its air campaign in direct support of the ground campaign, which aims to push toward the rebel-held capital of Sanaa. Former United States special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking noted that the Iran-backed group maintained continuous preparations even during periods without active fighting.
They replenish, re-equip, rebuild and reorganise constantly, to the point where they have the most capable military force of all non-state actors in the entire Middle East.
