The escalation of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia has opened a new avenue for examining the Makkah Defense Pact. This pact is designed in such a way that any attack on one of the countries of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey is considered an attack on all members. With the increase in missile and drone attacks by the Houthis, the question arises whether this pact, which is primarily recognized as a tool for deterrence, will reach an operational stage?
Military Talks in Riyadh
Military commanders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan held a meeting in Riyadh last week to discuss increasing information exchange, military coordination, and integrating defense capabilities. These activities clearly demonstrate the willingness of the three countries to explore more practical mechanisms of this pact.
Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, has stated that the Houthi attacks may create new military needs for Saudi Arabia, and Ankara is ready to respond to these needs within the framework of the trilateral pact. In this context, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Pakistani Defense Minister, has also emphasized that Islamabad will use every means at its disposal to defend Saudi Arabia.
Reactions and Challenges
Middle East experts, Ali Sadrzadeh and Farzaneh Roustaei, point out in their assessments that the direct involvement of Turkey and Pakistan in the war against the Houthis seems unlikely under the current circumstances. They believe that the Houthis act as a tool in the hands of the Islamic Republic and their activities are influenced by Iran's conflicts with Israel and the United States.
Sadrzadeh also notes that the Houthis are a non-state group and it is unclear whether their attacks can activate the Makkah Pact. He states that support for Saudi Arabia may be limited to the provision of equipment and information exchange, without Turkish or Pakistani forces directly participating in the war.
Ultimately, they emphasize that only in the event of a crisis escalation, such as a threat to the existence of Saudi Arabia, might the issue of implementing the commitments of the Makkah Pact become more serious. In any case, the trend of developments indicates that the members of this pact do not wish to remain indifferent to the escalation of tensions and will likely make new decisions in response to the threats posed by the Houthis.
