At a Glance

• The Mecca Alliance’s Security and Defense Committee is meeting in Riyadh.
• Foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs from Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia are attending.
• Members are reviewing the alliance’s institutional structure and possible expansion.
• Regional security issues, including Red Sea navigation and the Strait of Hormuz, are expected to feature.

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The Mecca Alliance is holding a high-level security meeting in Riyadh as its three members assess growing regional tensions and the future of their defense partnership.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Turkish Support: "Turkey stands ready to provide technical-military support to Riyadh." — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
• Saudi Defense: "Saudi Arabia has the right to self-defense" — Turkish government position on Houthi attacks.
• Focus Area: The meeting is focused on the alliance’s response to the escalating Houthi threat and its institutional and strategic development.

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The Security and Defense Committee is one of the alliance's main decision-making bodies. The meeting brings together foreign and defense ministers, chiefs of staff, and other military representatives from the three member states.

The gathering follows the committee's first meeting in Istanbul on August 31, when members discussed measures to establish a permanent institutional framework for the alliance. The chiefs of staff of Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia also met in Riyadh on September 25 to examine the military dimension of regional tensions and possible coordinated responses.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced last week that the alliance's partners would hold an urgent meeting in Riyadh in response to the wider regional situation. The latest meeting comes amid reports of intensified Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials have said some of the reported targets included energy infrastructure and areas near the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia is reportedly examining military options aimed at addressing the Houthi threat while also strengthening maritime security in the Red Sea. Reports have also indicated that Riyadh sought US military assistance for a possible counter-air operation but did not receive a favorable response. It remains unclear whether Saudi Arabia will formally request military assistance from Turkey or Pakistan during the meeting.

Turkey has repeatedly condemned Houthi attacks and called for an end to them. Ankara has also emphasized Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself while calling for regional disputes to be resolved through diplomatic means.

Turkish officials are expected to emphasize the importance of protecting freedom of navigation and international trade routes, particularly amid wider regional tensions affecting maritime traffic. Turkey has also expressed interest in joining the Saudi-led Red Sea security coalition, with Defense Ministry officials participating in meetings in Riyadh.

Alliance Structure

The committee is expected to review plans for institutionalizing the alliance. At its initial meeting, members agreed that the alliance's General Secretariat would be based in Riyadh. A proposal was also made to appoint retired Pakistani Army Major General Noman Mahmood as secretary-general.

The possible expansion of the alliance will also be discussed. Pakistani officials have previously said six countries have expressed interest in joining. The three founding members, however, have opposed admitting new members before completing the alliance's institutional framework.

The committee is also expected to review the stalled peace process between Iran and the United States and disruptions affecting oil tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz.

FYI

The Mecca Alliance was established by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia as a mutual defense framework. Its core principle is collective deterrence, under which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against all three.

The alliance is still developing its permanent institutional structure. Its current discussions therefore combine immediate regional security concerns with longer-term questions about its command structure, membership, and operational role.

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