Turkey, Pakistan to deploy forces to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

Turkish, Saudi and Pakistani officials agreed to bolster military cooperation under the Mecca defense pact as Houthi attacks and fighting in Yemen intensify.

Ezgi Akin
Ezgi Akin
A Yemeni man holds up a mock missile decorated with the colors of the Palestinian flag and the chechered keffiyeh in front of portraits of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (L) and the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdel Malek al-Houthi (R), during a protest in Sanaa to denounce strikes on Yemen and Israel's bombardment of Gaza on Jan. 15, 2025.
A Yemeni man holds up a mock missile decorated with the colors of the Palestinian flag and the chechered keffiyeh in front of portraits of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (L) and the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdel Malek al-Houthi (R), during a protest in Sanaa to denounce strikes on Yemen and Israel's bombardment of Gaza on Jan. 15, 2025. — MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images

ANKARA — Turkey and Pakistan agreed Monday to prepare forces and other military support for rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia under their trilateral defense pact, the countries announced after an emergency meeting in Riyadh. The meeting came amid ongoing Houthi attacks on the kingdom and intensifying fighting in Yemen.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and army chief Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili hosted their Turkish and Pakistani counterparts in Riyadh on Monday. 

Turkish foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler and army chief Selcuk Bayraktaroglu joined Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Defense Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for the trilateral talks.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also met with the delegations, according to an image released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

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