Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan Activate Makkah Defense Alliance
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan activated collective defense measures and deployed military forces to Saudi Arabia following Houthi missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
The Government of Saudi Arabia, the Government of Türkiye, and the Government of Pakistan activated collective defense measures under the Makkah Alliance for Defense on October 5, 2026. During an emergency meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh, the three nations agreed to the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia to counter escalating security threats.
The activation follows approximately 17 to 18 Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi civilian, economic, and strategic infrastructure, including attempted strikes on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The alliance, established by a pact signed on August 7, operates on a collective security model where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. As part of the alliance's institutionalization, the committee appointed retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the first Secretary-General for a three-year term to lead a permanent secretariat in Riyadh.
These military developments coincide with a major offensive by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to reclaim territory from the Houthi Movement. While the Yemeni armed forces captured Mocha city, the Houthi Movement secured other Red Sea sites, including Perim Island, to influence traffic through the Strait of Bab al-Mandab. In response, Saudi Arabia launched a bombing campaign in Yemen supported by the United States government, which dispatched 100 military advisors to provide intelligence and targeting support under the authorization of Donald Trump.
