Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan on Friday signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, stipulating that any armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against them all.
The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif during the Makkah Summit for Joint Defense held in the Saudi city of Makkah, according to a joint statement issued after the summit.
The agreement reflects the three countries' commitment to strengthening their collective security and safeguarding regional peace and stability, according to the statement.
It seeks to bolster collective deterrence against any act of aggression and deepen defense cooperation across all sectors, the statement read.
The three sides also reviewed their ties and a number of issues of mutual interest, it added.
Erdogan and Sharif are currently visiting Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Pakistan sign joint defense agreement
Military clashes have escalated in western Yemen, with reports of intense fighting between Houthi forces and so‑called Saudi‑backed "mercenaries" in Al‑Hawk district in the northern part of Hodeidah province, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Friday warned of a growing risk of renewed large-scale conflict in Yemen amid escalating attacks by the Houthi group against Saudi tankers and Yemeni government forces.
In a statement, Grundberg pointed to the latest attacks by the Houthis in the provinces of Marib and Hadramout, which reportedly caused significant casualties, including civilians, as well as "attacks on commercial shipping" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
He expressed concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure including airports, and the broader escalation of regional tensions.
Taken together, these developments risk jeopardizing gains from the 2022 truce, Grundberg said, warning that they could draw Yemen into "a broader regional confrontation."
Grundberg noted he had held intensive discussions in recent weeks with Yemeni parties, regional actors and international partners to explore options for de-escalation.
He called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint," halt actions that could trigger military retaliation and engage in good-faith negotiations under UN auspices.
Yemen has been mired in conflicts since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
A UN-brokered truce that took effect in April 2022 expired in October that year without a formal extension, though a fragile de facto ceasefire has largely held since then.
The Houthi group announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping in July, citing what it called a Saudi blockade against Houthi-controlled areas, a claim that Riyadh has firmly rejected.
Military clashes escalate in western Yemen: report
