Ankara, Riyadh, Islamabad Forge Defense Alliance

By Staff, Agencies

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are expected to sign a joint defense agreement in Saudi Arabia on Friday, according to two regional sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.

The agreement comes as the three countries deepen security coordination amid growing regional tensions, particularly surrounding the Red Sea and the renewed escalation between Saudi-backed forces and the Yemeni Armed Forces.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is already in Saudi for a three-day visit.

The reported agreement marks a significant step in military and strategic coordination between Ankara, Riyadh, and Islamabad.

The pact follows renewed military confrontation by the Yemeni Armed Forces on one side and the Saudi military and Saudi-backed forces on the other.

The Yemeni Armed Forces announced this week a large-scale military operation targeting Saudi-backed military deployments in the provinces of Marib and Hadramout, saying the strikes were carried out after monitoring preparations for an escalation against areas under Sanaa's control.

According to AFP, citing a military source, the death toll from the attacks has risen to 58 among Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

Yemen's Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the operation involved ballistic missiles and drones and targeted military gatherings in Al-Ruwaik, Al-Abr, Al-Thaniyah, and other areas.

Sanaa said the strikes were a pre-emptive operation aimed at disrupting Saudi-led preparations for a wider offensive.

The latest escalation comes as the YAF continues its maritime campaign in the Red Sea, which is aimed at responding to a 12-year-long Saudi blockade imposed on Yemeni ports and airports.

Yemen has described its maritime operations as part of a "blockade for blockade" strategy, targeting Saudi-linked shipping and restricting the movement of Saudi oil vessels through the Red Sea.

The maritime confrontation has placed the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Red Sea shipping routes at the center of wider regional tensions, drawing increased attention from neighboring states and international powers.

The reported Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense agreement comes as Riyadh seeks to strengthen regional partnerships amid mounting security concerns.

Saudi Arabia has been working to expand military and diplomatic coordination with regional powers, while Turkey and Pakistan have maintained close defense ties with Riyadh through previous military cooperation agreements.

The three countries' cooperation is expected to focus on broader defense coordination, although details of the agreement have not yet been publicly disclosed.