Turkey and Pakistan will move towards the rapid deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia under a new mutual defence agreement, as Riyadh faces renewed attacks linked to the conflict in Yemen.
The decision was announced after representatives of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday.
The three countries agreed to begin implementing the collective defence commitments outlined in their August agreement.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, pledging mutual assistance if any of the three countries comes under attack.
The arrangement brings together three militarily significant countries: Turkey, a major NATO military power; Pakistan, the world's only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state; and Saudi Arabia, the leading Gulf military and economic power.
At Monday's meeting, the three countries condemned attacks and threats against Saudi territory and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the kingdom's security and territorial integrity.
The joint statement did not directly name Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, but referred to recent attacks against Saudi Arabia, including those affecting areas around the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The countries agreed to move quickly from the political commitments of the August pact towards practical military implementation.
Under the decision, the participating states will provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and facilitate their rapid deployment inside Saudi Arabia.
The statement did not provide details on the number of troops involved, the units that could be deployed or the specific missions they would undertake.
The move comes as Saudi Arabia faces an intensifying security situation linked to Yemen's long-running conflict.
The Houthis have previously targeted Saudi cities, energy infrastructure and maritime interests during periods of heightened conflict in Yemen.
The security situation worsened after the group launched a fresh offensive in September, capturing significant territory from Yemen's internationally recognised government.
On Monday, forces loyal to the Yemeni government launched a counteroffensive with Saudi support, seeking to recover territory held by the Houthis, including areas that have remained under their control for years.
The new defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan could therefore give Riyadh additional military support as fighting in Yemen continues to reshape the regional security environment.
