Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to Hold Urgent Military Chiefs’ Meeting Amid Houthi Attacks

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye have announced plans for an urgent meeting of their military chiefs to discuss coordinated support for Saudi Arabia in response to recent Houthi attacks. This development was confirmed by the Saudi foreign ministry following discussions held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting, involving Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, focused on ways to uphold the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA), which declares that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all signatories.

The Saudi foreign ministry’s statement highlighted that these discussions take place amid ongoing missile and drone strikes by Houthi fighters targeting Saudi territory, including critical oil infrastructure. Saudi authorities reported intercepting six ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis, while emergency alerts had earlier been issued for areas such as Makkah, Jeddah, and Yanbu.

The foreign ministers reaffirmed their nations’ condemnation of attacks on Makkah and other civilian locations, supporting Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself. They also reviewed progress in setting up institutional frameworks under the MJDA, such as the General Secretariat and related working groups.

Turkiye's defence ministry confirmed that Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will visit Saudi Arabia to meet with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts as part of trilateral discussions. Meanwhile, the Saudi Grand Mufti, Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan, advised the armed forces to maintain unity and steadfastness in response to the Houthi threats, emphasizing the significance of their role in ensuring national security.