Turkey Signals Military Support for Saudi Arabia as Houthi Attacks Intensify

Türkiye has signalled its readiness to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks on the kingdom continue to escalate, potentially putting a newly signed defence agreement involving Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to an early test.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saudi Arabia could have military needs arising from the ongoing attacks and that Ankara would be prepared to help under the trilateral defence agreement.

“We see there are very serious attacks on Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Fidan said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV. He added that Riyadh could require assistance, particularly on technical military issues, and that Türkiye would have no difficulty meeting those needs.

Fidan did not specify what equipment, personnel or other forms of military assistance Türkiye could provide.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026. The agreement states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three, while also providing for deeper defence cooperation and military interoperability.

The agreement was later formally referred to as the Makkah Defence Alliance, with the three countries agreeing to establish a secretariat in Riyadh.

However, the precise mechanism for activating the agreement and the extent of any military response remain unclear. Analysts have noted that the alliance does not yet have the integrated command structure or standing forces associated with established collective-defence organisations.

The development comes amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia. On September 19, Saudi authorities said they intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition also said attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Yanbu, Taif, Bisha and Farasan were thwarted. The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi targets, although some of their claims could not be independently verified.

The attacks have also raised concerns over Saudi Arabia’s air-defence capacity. The Associated Press reported that Riyadh has sought assistance from several countries, including France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt, amid concerns over missile-interceptor supplies.

Pakistan has separately reaffirmed its commitment to Saudi Arabia under the defence agreement. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s military, said Islamabad stood with Saudi Arabia both diplomatically and physically, while Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said no military response under the pact was currently being discussed and that Islamabad would act when the circumstances require it.

For now, Türkiye’s position represents a readiness to provide assistance rather than confirmation of Turkish military deployment. The exact form of any support will depend on Saudi Arabia’s requirements and further discussions among the three countries.