Turkey Prepares Defensive Military Aid for Saudi Arabia

The Government of Turkey is preparing to provide defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia to counter attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels. The support package includes air-defense systems, drones, and technical personnel. This deployment is expected to follow Turkey's ratification of the Mecca defense pact, a tripartite agreement involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, likely in October.

While Turkey already participates in the Saudi-led Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance, officials indicate Ankara intends to avoid direct military intervention in Yemen. This cautious approach aims to protect Turkish commercial and military supply lines through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, which are critical for supporting Turkish projects and a military base in Somalia.

In response to the planned support, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a senior Ansar Allah official, warned that any direct Turkish or Pakistani intervention on behalf of Saudi Arabia would carry a "heavy price."