# Mecca Pact Activated

> Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey join mutual defense pact against Houthi attacks.
- Title: Mecca Pact Activated · Foreign Policy | Shortify
- Summary: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey join mutual defense pact against Houthi attacks. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey activated the Mecca Joint Defense…
- Keywords: mecca pact, saudi arabia, pakistan, turkey, houthi, yemen, mutual defense agreement, riverside, royal family, strategic political and defense committe, Mecca, Pact
- Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/10/08/mecca-pact-pakistan-turkey-saudi-houthi-yemen
- Author: Rishi Iyengar
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: mecca pact, saudi arabia, pakistan, turkey, houthi, yemen, mutual defense agreement, riverside, royal family, strategic political and defense committe
## Mecca Pact Activated
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey activated the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Monday after signing it in early August.
## Houthi Threat Escalates
Houthi militant group continues to strike Riyadh and attack multiple regional airports this week.
## Turkey's Position
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey is still assessing military support for Saudi Arabia but ruled out offensive operations.
## Pakistan's Role
Pakistan appointed retired Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood as defense collective's first secretary-general and pushed back against fake reports of fighter jet use.
## Saudi Security Concerns
Saudi Arabia views Houthi conflict as an existential threat to its oil transport routes through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
## Strategic Rationale
Pakistan sees Houthi escalation as a core national security threat due to the Bab el-Mandeb strait's critical role in regional oil transport.
## Secondary Motivation
Pakistan views the pact as an in-kind early payment to Saudi Arabia for potential future conflicts with India.
## Public Emphasis
Both Turkey and Pakistan publicly stress the defensive nature of their military support to Saudi Arabia.
## Expert Analysis
April Longley Alley, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says Houthis pose an existential threat to Saudi Arabia.
## Mecca Pact Details
The Mecca pact includes necessary measures to provide military forces and ensure rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.
## Trump's Aides Scandal
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle asked a Trump campaign donor to pay $100,000 to her credit card before her Senate confirmation hearing.
## Bosnia Visit
Trump's top advisors James Blair and Chris LaCivita reportedly advised Republika Srpska ahead of its election last Sunday.
## German Spy Scandal
Germany arrested 80-year-old former spy chief August Hanning for treasonous espionage after he left office.
## Trump's Defense Investments
Trump announced private defense firm Anduril would invest $3.7 billion to build submarine components for the U.S. Navy.
## AI Investments
Trump's administration announced $2.4 billion in tech investments from companies including Nvidia and Google for AI research.
## Key takeaway

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey activated the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement to counter Houthi strikes on Riyadh and regional airports.