Pakistan ratifies Mecca pact as Saudi Arabia faces attacks and Israel holds military drills

According to Middle East Eye, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, said that Islamabad and Riyadh have completed their ratification procedures for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by the three countries on 7 August.[1]Khan said that "Türkiye is undertaking the requisite procedures in accordance with its domestic legal framework,"[2] Türkiye Today reports. Hürriyet Daily News reports that Ankara submitted the agreement to parliament on Oct. 20.[3]According to Türkiye Today, the text mirrors NATO's Article 5, treating an externally originating armed attack on one party as an attack on all.[2] Anadolu Agency reports that Khan said Islamabad "remains fully committed to the letter and spirit of the agreement, which is defensive in nature"[4].Middle East Eye reports that the announcement came amid an escalation involving Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.[1] The outlet says that on 21 October, Reuters reported that Riyadh's allies were providing primarily defensive support[1] as the kingdom tried to protect its infrastructure.Middle East Eye also reports that the Israeli military has announced large-scale exercises in the north and central regions of Israel on Sunday and Monday, rehearsing scenarios relating to surprise attacks and infiltrations by air and land.[1] According to the outlet, the military said the drills would test its readiness to defend against attacks on multiple fronts[1].