Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye Hold Urgent Military Chiefs' Meeting Amid Houthi Strikes

Military chiefs from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye convened an urgent meeting on Friday to deliberate on supporting Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) in the face of escalating Houthi attacks.

The Turkish armed forces announced the meeting through a post on their official X account. The discussions included Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroglu, and Saudi Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, as depicted in released photographs.

The meeting was prompted by recent Houthi strikes directed at Yemen’s government and repeated attacks inside Saudi Arabia, which have disturbed oil flows from the world’s leading crude exporter. These developments are part of a broader Middle East conflict that began following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

According to Houthi statements, dozens of missiles and drones were launched at Saudi targets on Thursday. Saudi authorities reported intercepting six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi fighters.

Emergency alerts were issued by Saudi authorities for areas including Makkah, Jeddah, and Yanbu, which serves as the main Red Sea oil port. The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia said the three allied nations condemned attacks aimed at Makkah and other civilian sites, while emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense.

Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan called for unity among Saudi and allied forces in response to the Houthi actions. He urged troops to exercise patience and perseverance, and described the Houthi group as a threat to the nation’s peace and stability. The Grand Mufti stressed the importance of the responsibility taken on by those defending the country and encouraged continued steadfastness in their duties.