Yemenupdated 2h ago2 min read
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkiye Deploy Forces Under Collective Defense Pact After Houthis Attacks
Mecca Pact activated; Pakistan and Turkey deploy troops to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks. Emergency Riyadh meeting approved rapid deployment; defense committee moves to practical implementation.
Mecca Pact Goes Live
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye activated collective defense commitments after an emergency meeting in Riyadh, and the pact’s top committee agreed to deploy Pakistani and Turkish forces to the kingdom. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said, in a joint statement, that "The Committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defense commitments" and to ensure rapid deployment in the Kingdom.
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major-General Turki al-Malki said 100 fighter jets were supporting a counteroffensive by Yemen’s internationally recognised government to retake territory seized by the Houthis last month. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said from Riyadh that "the combat is practically being conducted by Saudi Arabia’s own forces," leaving Pakistan in a supporting and defensive role alongside a Saudi offensive.
Houthi Attacks and Retaliation
The Houthis retaliated with missiles and drones targeting military and economic targets inside Saudi territory after Saudi bombardments in Yemen, with Yahya Sari saying the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out "three military operations with a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones." Sari said the Houthis attacked King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh with a "precise and direct" attack that "caused disruptions to air traffic."
Saudi authorities confirmed strikes on Jazan and Najran airports, resulting in three injuries and limited damage, while the Saudi coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said approximately 100 fighter jets participated in Monday’s operations. The Houthis also counted 1,576 Saudi attacks since the start of the latest escalation, and Sari warned "all international airlines" to cease flights in Saudi airspace because it was an operation area for the forces.
Yemen Offensive and Stakes
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad Al-Alimi named the campaign "Operation Yemen Dawn," saying its objective was liberating Houthi-controlled regions, restoring state institutions, and eventually recapturing Sanaa, which the Houthis seized in 2014. The Yemeni government forces said they carried out 1,122 precision strikes against Houthi targets across Saada, Al Jawf, Taiz, and the western coastline, and they claimed 1,747 Houthi fighters were "neutralized".
Bankingnews described Bab el-Mandeb as the strategic strait connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, and it said controlling coastal regions could disrupt maritime and energy flows across the broader region. Al Jazeera reported that Saudi authorities said two airports in the kingdom had been hit on Monday evening, injuring at least three people, as the Mecca pact aimed to reinforce Saudi air and missile defenses against further attacks.