Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan activate Mecca Pact amid war with Houthis

According to Middle East Eye, the announcement on Monday came after representatives of the three countries held an emergency meeting in Riyadh where they condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia[1]. The outlet notes the statement did so without mentioning the Houthis by name.[1]Reuters reports that the three countries agreed to "move immediately to implement their collective defence commitments"[2], according to a joint statement shared by Pakistan's foreign ministry. Reuters says the decision would be carried out under "approved arrangements"[2] and the national laws of the three countries.L'Orient Today reports that the Saudi defence minister said on X that the meeting "reaffirmed the solidarity and unity of our countries in confronting the heinous attacks against the Kingdom and the holy sites"[3].Al-Monitor reports that the statement did not specify what forces or military capabilities would be deployed, how many personnel would be involved or when the deployment would take place.[4] Al-Monitor also says the Turkish parliament is expected to ratify the Mecca agreement this month.[4]Israel Hayom quotes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan as saying the three countries "also discussed what could be done to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue."[5]Middle East Eye says it's unclear what immediate tactical impact Pakistan and Turkey's deployment to Saudi Arabia will have on the war[1], and that Pakistan already has tens of thousands of troops in the kingdom.[1]According to AFP reporting carried by Gulf News, Yemen's Saudi-backed government on Monday launched a counteroffensive with Riyadh's support seeking to retake all Houthi territory[6].