Pakistan Confirms Troops in Saudi Arabia as 3 Die in Houthi Airport Attacks
Updated
Updated · CNN · Oct 7
Pakistan Confirms Troops in Saudi Arabia as 3 Die in Houthi Airport Attacks
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Oct 7
Summary
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistani forces are already in Saudi Arabia, confirming a deployment under a new collective-defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey but withholding troop numbers and roles.
The confirmation came after Houthi strikes killed three people over two days at Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport and Abha International Airport, pushing the conflict deeper into Saudi territory and prompting a fresh US security alert.
Saudi officials said the Houthis fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh on Wednesday, killing a Sudanese resident and wounding eight; the coalition said it destroyed the launcher and was preparing for another imminent attack.
The new pact—often called the Mecca Alliance—commits the three countries to rapid force deployment, though Pakistan said any role would be defensive and did not say whether its troops could be used across the Yemen border.
The move complicates Pakistan’s balancing act with neighboring Iran, even as Islamabad says it is still trying to broker a negotiated end to the wider US-Iran war and prevent further regional escalation.
Will Pakistan's secretive troop deployment to Saudi Arabia deter missile strikes, or ignite a much deadlier regional war?
What hidden geopolitical shifts triggered the sudden military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey?
Could the Houthi rebel stronghold near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait ultimately choke off the entire global supply chain?
The October 2026 Saudi Airport Strikes and the Mecca Pact: Collective Defense, Regional Risks, and the End of U.S. Security Dominance
Overview
In October 2026, a series of deadly Houthi missile and drone attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen killed and injured civilians, forcing flight diversions and disrupting air traffic. These unprecedented strikes triggered the immediate activation of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, leading Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey to hold an emergency meeting and rapidly deploy military forces to defend Saudi territory. The coalition’s response included major Pakistani and Turkish deployments and Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen, which caused massive civilian displacement. The crisis also provoked sharp warnings from Iran, prompting careful diplomatic efforts by Turkey and Pakistan to avoid wider regional escalation.