Pakistan Completes Ratification of Mecca Pact as Houthi Strikes Continue

Pakistan completed its ratification of a trilateral defense agreement on Friday, formalizing a military alliance with Saudi Arabia and Turkey just as the kingdom faces renewed Houthi attacks from Yemen.

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed that Islamabad and Riyadh have finished their respective domestic procedures. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on 7 August by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Khan stated that discussions regarding the agreement's operationalization are ongoing among the three parties.

The pact remains inactive until Turkey concludes its own approval process. Once fully ratified, the accord mandates collective defense if any signatory suffers an external armed attack. Assistance levels will be determined based on specific circumstances, with Islamabad describing the framework as defensive and consistent with the United Nations Charter.

Progress toward implementation accelerated following a 5 October meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. That body recommended rapid deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia during a crisis, subject to each nation's internal laws.

The ratification announcement coincided with Civil Defence warnings in Saudi Arabia this week. Authorities cited potential dangers in Abha and Khamis Mushait in the southwest, advising residents to avoid gatherings and filming in affected zones before declaring the threat had passed. These alerts aligned with Houthi missile and drone strikes reported by Reuters on 21 October, during which regional allies provided defensive support to protect Saudi infrastructure.

Regional tensions extend beyond the Red Sea. The Israeli military announced large-scale exercises for Sunday and Monday in the north and center of the country. The drills involve air force units and ground forces from the Northern and Central Commands to rehearse surprise attack scenarios and test readiness for multi-front defenses.

These preparations occur as the United States and Israel consider renewed military action against Iran. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that another operation against Iran is possible as the conflict approaches its eighth month. A report by The Business Times citing US officials indicated that American and Israeli forces have drafted plans for strikes after the 3 November midterm elections, targeting Iranian energy, nuclear, and missile capabilities.