Pakistan Deploys Troops to Saudi Arabia Under Makkah Alliance

The Government of Pakistan has confirmed the deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia following a surge in drone and ballistic missile attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. The rebels targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport, resulting in at least three deaths.

These actions fall under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral pact signed on August 7, 2026, between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. The agreement establishes a collective-defense principle where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all three. On October 5, the alliance's Strategic Political and Defence Committee met in Riyadh to implement these commitments and appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the first Secretary-General of the Makkah Alliance for a three-year term.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, clarified that while the alliance is new, Pakistani troops have been stationed in the kingdom for decades across multiple capabilities. While Pakistan rejects Reuters' reports that it deployed 8,000 troops and 16 aircraft as speculative, it maintains that its role is focused on defense and deterrence. Simultaneously, Türkiye is providing technical support and joining a Saudi-led coalition for Red Sea navigational safety, while Pakistan continues to mediate between the United States and Iran to prevent further regional escalation.