Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to hold military chiefs meeting
Chiefs of staff from the three countries plan an urgent meeting to discuss support for Riyadh under a joint defence mechanism
Published
Map: The Middle East, marking Jizan, Yanbu, Makkah
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are arranging a meeting of their military leaders to discuss supporting Riyadh under a joint defence agreement, condemn attacks aimed at Makkah and Saudi facilities, and back Saudi Arabia's right to protect its own security, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said.
Chiefs of staff from the three countries plan an urgent meeting to discuss support under the defence mechanism. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry has said Riyadh has the right to defend itself under the UN Charter.
The planning follows a Houthi claim of an attack on Saudi military sites in Jazan, which Saudi Arabia has not confirmed, and a separate Houthi claim of missile strikes that prompted France's Macron to order French troops to guard the Yanbu oil terminal. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed that claim either, and tankers have yet to load at Yanbu, though Aramco has said flows could resume soon.
The move toward formal military coordination among the three countries signals hardening regional positions at a moment when Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Rubio, have emphasised diplomatic openings with Iran. A joint defence commitment of this kind undercuts the off-ramps Washington has floated, raising the risk that regional tensions entrench rather than resolve, a dynamic that would keep supply disruption priced into oil and limit upside for assets tied to Middle East stability.