Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are preparing for an urgent meeting of their military chiefs after a fresh wave of Houthi attacks on the kingdom, in a move that could put their newly signed defence pact, also called Mecca deal, to its first major test.The talks will be held under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which says an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all three.The planned meeting was announced after the foreign ministers of the three countries met in New York on Thursday. Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar, and Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan discussed the attacks and possible steps under the agreement.The Saudi foreign ministry did not give a date for the military chiefs’ meeting or specify what form of support Saudi Arabia could receive.
Pact under first major test
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 with the aim of strengthening their collective deterrence and defence cooperation.The three countries have since begun putting the agreement’s mechanisms in place. Their foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs met in Istanbul on August 31 for the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. They agreed to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia and expand military cooperation.During Thursday’s meeting, the three foreign ministers condemned attacks on Mecca and on civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia. They also backed Riyadh’s right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognises a country’s right to self-defence.The ministers also discussed regional stability, freedom of navigation and their commitment to reducing tensions through diplomatic and peaceful means.
Saudi Arabia reports fresh missile attacks
The diplomatic push came as Saudi Arabia reported another wave of attacks launched from Yemen. Saudi authorities said their air defences intercepted six ballistic missiles fired towards Taif and Yanbu on Thursday. Major-General Turki al-Malki, spokesman for the coalition, warned that any further Houthi escalation would be “dealt with firmly”.Saudi civil defence authorities had earlier issued alerts in several areas before later saying the threat had passed.The Houthis, meanwhile, claimed to have carried out missile and drone attacks against what they called a “sensitive target” in Riyadh and facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Yanbu.France has also offered defensive support to Saudi Arabia. French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would send military assets to help protect Yanbu.“We are going to send military assets, meaning soldiers, radars and defence systems to protect this site,” Macron said in an interview with TF1 on Thursday.
Fighting intensifies inside Yemen
The cross-border attacks have come alongside some of the heaviest fighting inside Yemen since the conflict escalated again.At least 150 fighters from the Houthi and government-aligned forces were killed in the 24 hours before Friday, according to news agency AFP. The figure included 98 fighters from the government side and 52 Houthis.Fighting was reported around the Kahboub Mountains and areas between Lahj and Taiz overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.The Houthis have also expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including around the port city of Mocha and strategic islands. Their gains have strengthened their position near Bab al-Mandeb, a major global shipping route through which about 12% of global trade normally passes, according to AP.Yemen’s internationally recognised government has called for greater international involvement. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Vice President Abdullah Abdulkader Al Alimi-Bawzer warned that Houthi control around the strait could have wider economic consequences.He accused the group of using freedom of navigation as leverage, saying its actions were “taking hostage the entire global economy”.The renewed fighting has also triggered a major displacement crisis. More than 230,000 people have been forced from their homes since the beginning of September, according to UNHCR. The latest displacement adds to an estimated 5.2 million people already internally displaced across Yemen.