Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey Convene Their Makkah Defence Pact as Yemen's Government Opens an Offensive Against the Houthis

Pakistan's Foreign Office confirmed on X that members of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement will meet in Riyadh on Monday. Pakistan's delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who is chief of the army and of the defence forces, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. Saudi Arabia and Turkey are sending their foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of general staff. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey formalized the agreement on August 7 as a framework for collective deterrence.

Pakistani officials say the agenda centers on Saudi Arabia's security situation. The Express Tribune reported that the meeting will assess Houthi attacks on civilian and economic infrastructure, including a recent strike on a power facility in Madinah. The meeting follows an emergency session of the pact's chiefs held last week.

Yemen's internationally recognized government acted the day before the meeting. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, announced military operations to retake all territory held by the Houthis. Al Arabiya reported that al-Alimi said Yemen had moved "from the stage of preparation to the stage of action" and that the operations are not directed at civilians in Sanaa, Hodeidah or Saada. CNN reported that the Saudi-led coalition pledged support. France 24 reported that the Houthis had cut a supply route to the besieged, government-held city of Taiz at the time of the announcement.

Each side describes the fighting differently. Al-Alimi accuses the Houthis of escalating, attacking neighboring countries and threatening shipping lanes. The Houthis present their strikes on Saudi territory as part of the wider war against the United States and its partners. Monday's claims of attacks on Aramco sites in Riyadh and Khurais are the latest example.