(Pakistan’s PM Office/AFP pic)RIYADH : Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement on Friday amid violence in the region from Houthi attacks and the US-Iran war. ‘Layers of security’Since the onset of the regional war, Saudi Arabia has grown closer to Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, which have been pushing for mediation and a resolution to the conflict. “Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are not trying to replace the United States,” he said. The Houthis have launched attacks on Saudi soil and declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, which they have attempted to enforce by attacking Saudi tankers. Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis since 2015.