Saudi Arabia’s New Houthi Crisis Raises One Big Question: What Happened to the Mecca Defence Pact?
Saudi Arabia’s escalating confrontation with the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen is raising serious questions about the strength and practical meaning of the Kingdom’s newly signed defence partnership with Pakistan and Türkiye.
Riyadh now appears to be seeking broader regional and international assistance as the Houthi threat expands from missile and drone attacks to strategic positions along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline.
Recent developments have significantly increased the stakes. Houthi forces have captured the strategically important Mayun Island, also known as Perim, giving them a foothold close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait—one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. The development has intensified concerns over Saudi Arabia’s access to alternative oil-export routes at a time when instability around the Strait of Hormuz is already threatening global energy supplies.
The situation has become even more alarming for Riyadh after attacks damaged Saudi energy infrastructure. A major Saudi East-West oil pipeline, which provides an alternative route for transporting crude toward the Red Sea and away from the Strait of Hormuz, has reportedly been hit, with the damage threatening to further disrupt Saudi oil exports. Reports have linked the wider escalation to Iran-aligned armed groups, including Iraqi militants operating alongside the broader regional network supporting the Houthis.
Against this backdrop, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah on September 14 to discuss the rapidly deteriorating regional security situation. Reuters reported that Riyadh had sought U.S. military assistance against the Houthis, while Washington has committed to intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance despite President Donald Trump declining to authorize direct U.S. strikes against the group.
This has naturally generated another question: Is Saudi Arabia also looking toward Israel, particularly for intelligence and surveillance capabilities?
A claim circulating from Israel Hanom suggests that Riyadh approached the United States through U.S. Central Command with a request for intelligence support that could indirectly involve Israeli capabilities. However, this particular claim has not been independently verified by the major sources reviewed for this report and should therefore be treated as an allegation rather than an established fact.
But the larger strategic question remains valid.
What exactly is the purpose of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement if Saudi Arabia is facing a major armed threat and still has to look primarily toward Washington for assistance?
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026. The agreement states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all three, while also committing the countries to deeper defence cooperation and collective deterrence.
Yet the response to the current Houthi attacks has so far been more complicated.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif initially said continued Houthi attacks could lead to activation of the agreement. However, Pakistan subsequently clarified that no military response under the pact had actually been discussed and that no immediate military operation was being considered.
That distinction is crucial.
The agreement may promise collective defence, but its practical implementation appears to depend heavily on political decisions by each member. Moreover, the three countries have repeatedly emphasized de-escalation, restraint and diplomatic solutions rather than immediately entering another major war in Yemen.
For Saudi Arabia, therefore, the current crisis presents a difficult strategic dilemma. The Kingdom has built a new regional security partnership with Pakistan and Türkiye, yet the immediate response to the Houthi threat has involved seeking intelligence and assistance from the United States.
Meanwhile, the Houthis are tightening their position around the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, while attacks on Saudi infrastructure threaten both Riyadh’s economic interests and global energy security.
The biggest question now is no longer simply whether the Makkah Pact exists.
The real question is whether it can actually deliver when Saudi Arabia needs it most.
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