Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement in Mecca on Friday that treats an armed attack on one country as an attack on all three, deepening their security ties amid the US-Iran war and renewed Houthi attacks. Since the war began, Saudi Arabia has moved closer to Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, which have pushed for mediation and a resolution to the conflict. Renewed Houthi attacksThe signing follows months of speculation over whether Turkey would join a defense arrangement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in September 2025 that treats aggression against either country as aggression against both. Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis since 2015.