Saudi Arabia Activates Defense Pact After Houthi Missile Attacks

The Government of Saudi Arabia has activated the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement following a wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Riyadh, Yanbu, Taif, and Mecca. The Saudi-led coalition intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu, though the Houthis claimed to have targeted Aramco facilities. The escalation has caused oil prices to rise and prompted emergency alerts across several Saudi cities.

In response, foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan met in New York during the 81st UN General Assembly to coordinate a military response. The ministers arranged an urgent meeting of their respective chiefs of staff in Saudi Arabia to determine specific support mechanisms under the pact, which stipulates that an attack on one member is an attack on all. To institutionalize the alliance, the members appointed retired Pakistani Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood as the first secretary-general and planned a general secretariat in Riyadh.

This regional instability occurs amid a broader conflict involving the United States and Iran. While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the Houthis are responsible for their own actions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposed a truce and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts sanctions and pays war reparations. Meanwhile, France has offered military assets, including radar systems and soldiers, to help protect the port of Yanbu.