Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that any unprovoked aggression against Saudi Arabia would activate the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a recently established mutual defence pact involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Asif made the comments to local media on Tuesday night, emphasizing that Pakistan remains committed to the terms outlined in the agreement and would respond if necessary.
The remarks came days after Yemen’s Houthi group launched a barrage of missiles and attacks into southern Saudi Arabia, resulting in at least 73 wounded according to Saudi authorities. The attack represents an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Iran-aligned Houthis and forces backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which receives Saudi military support.
Leaders from the three nations finalized the Mecca agreement last month, establishing a framework for collective deterrence against regional aggression. The pact mirrors NATO’s foundational principle that an attack on one member constitutes an attack on all, though specific implementation procedures remain undefined. The agreement was reached as the three countries navigate heightened regional tensions, including concerns about Israeli military expansion and Iranian regional influence. Combined, these nations possess approximately 1.4 million active military personnel, over 3,400 aircraft, 6,000 tanks, and more than 340 naval vessels, according to military assessments.
The current escalation marks the most severe intensification since a United Nations-brokered ceasefire halted large-scale hostilities in 2022. Fighting resumed in July following a government strike on the Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport. The Houthis subsequently launched major offensives aimed at capturing key Red Sea territories and have declared a blockade on Saudi shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical waterway for international commerce and Saudi oil exports. The conflict, which began in 2014 following Houthi control of the capital Sanaa, has become increasingly complicated by broader regional tensions and geopolitical rivalries.
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