Sunni NATO faces first test after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia; Pakistan, Türkiye limit response to condemnation

The military inactivity of both partners after a major attack on Saudi Arabia, just one month after the agreement was signed. 

The Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Türkiye security agreement, described as the “Mecca Pact” and often referred to as a “Sunni NATO” or “Islamic NATO”, is facing its first major test after Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched attacks on four Saudi cities.

In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of the Houthi attacks and examined whether the Mecca Pact has been put under strain just a month after it was signed.

Houthis launch major attack on Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the security agreement in Mecca on August 7, 2026. The pact came under scrutiny after the Houthis, active in Yemen, carried out their biggest attack on Saudi Arabia since the 2022 ceasefire on September 7.

The attacks targeted four major Saudi cities — Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran — using ballistic missiles and suicide drones.

Abha is the capital of Saudi Arabia’s Asir province, while Khamis Mushait is a major military garrison city. Jazan, located on the Red Sea coast, is an important oil-refining and port city, while Najran is a strategically important area along the Yemeni border.

The attacks hit several strategically important facilities. Drones were launched around the terminal and runway of Abha International Airport, while the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait was also targeted. The airbase is among the Saudi Royal Air Force’s most active facilities and is used for air operations in Yemen.

The Houthis also targeted the airbase’s runway, weapons depots and hangars. In Jazan and surrounding areas, attacks were reported on oil storage facilities and supply centres belonging to Saudi Arabia’s largest oil company, Aramco.

According to the report, 73 Saudi civilians and employees were injured, including women and children at the airport. Several people suffered serious injuries. Airport buildings, the runway, the power grid and Aramco’s oil tanks were also damaged.

Houthi attacks disrupt Saudi-Yemen trade route

The Houthi offensive was not restricted to military and energy infrastructure. Trucks and oil tankers carrying supplies for the Saudi-backed government and people in Yemen were also targeted in the Al-Wadiah area near the Yemen-Saudi Arabia border.

Drone strikes triggered explosions and fires in several fuel and cargo trucks. Drivers abandoned their vehicles and fled as the attacks intensified, while thick black smoke spread across the area.

The attack disrupted the border trade route between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will retaliate against the Houthis. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the Houthis were creating a major problem for themselves and warned that Saudi Arabia would take strong action when necessary to protect its security, interests and the stability of Yemen.

Why did the Houthis attack Saudi Arabia?

The Houthi assault came only hours after a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a detention centre in Yemen’s Al-Jawf province. The airstrike reportedly killed 11 people, including a child.

The Houthis described their subsequent attacks inside Saudi Arabia as retaliation for the airstrike.

The development has raised questions over the role of Pakistan and Türkiye, particularly because both countries signed the Mecca security agreement with Saudi Arabia just one month earlier.

Pakistan responds with condemnation

Rather than announcing military action, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the Houthi attacks.

Sharif said Pakistan strongly condemned the “cowardly” attacks targeting civilians and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi people.

He also said such attacks threatened regional peace and security, reiterated Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

However, there was no announcement of Pakistani military action against the Houthis or any reference to deploying forces in response to the attacks.

Türkiye also stops short of military response

Türkiye’s response was similarly limited to diplomatic condemnation.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s southern regions, describing them as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and territorial integrity and a serious threat to peace and security in the Middle East.

Türkiye expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and called on all sides to exercise restraint and avoid steps that could escalate tensions.

There was no reported warning from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatening military action against the Houthis.

Does the Mecca Pact have a NATO-like military mechanism?

The response from Pakistan and Türkiye has also brought attention to the actual nature of the Mecca agreement.

Although the pact was presented as a major security arrangement, it does not contain a NATO-style joint military command or an automatic mechanism for launching military action following an attack.

The agreement is primarily focused on areas including the defence industry, intelligence cooperation and joint production of weapons.

Pakistan and Türkiye could also argue that the pact was designed to respond to an attack by another country, while the Houthis are a non-state militia rather than a government.
However, both countries have strategic reasons to avoid direct military involvement in Yemen.

Pakistan shares a nearly 900-km-long border with Iran and faces its own internal Shia-Sunni tensions. It is also dealing with security challenges involving the TTP and Balochistan. Direct involvement against the Houthis could therefore carry additional risks, particularly since the Houthis receive direct support from Tehran.

Türkiye, meanwhile, does not want to jeopardise its energy and regional interests involving Iran.

Is the ‘Sunni NATO’ a paper tiger?

The limited response from Pakistan and Türkiye has raised questions over whether the Mecca Pact can function as a genuine collective security arrangement.

The military inactivity of both partners after a major attack on Saudi Arabia, just one month after the agreement was signed, could reinforce the perception that the so-called Sunni NATO is a “paper tiger” — an agreement that exists largely on paper.

The developments also suggest that Saudi Arabia may seek Pakistan’s military strength and Türkiye’s drone technology, but continues to depend heavily on American air defence and the wider Western security system for protection against Houthi and Iranian missile threats.

For the Houthis, the response from Pakistan and Türkiye could indicate that neither country is prepared to launch attacks on Yemen in retaliation for strikes on Saudi Arabia. This could encourage the group to maintain its activities around the Red Sea and the Saudi border.

What does this mean for India?

The developments could also have implications for India’s strategic calculations.

The analysis points out that if Saudi Arabia and India remain trade partners and friendly countries, a future conflict between India and Pakistan could see Riyadh prioritising calls for restraint rather than directly entering the conflict.

Türkiye, meanwhile, could potentially limit its response to criticism of India and solidarity with Pakistan.

The developments therefore raise questions about how far the Mecca Pact can go beyond diplomatic support when one of its members faces a serious security challenge.

Conflict threatens global energy security

The renewed confrontation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia is not limited to the two sides involved. It could also affect global energy security, maritime trade and the wider global economy.

The Houthi attacks on Aramco’s refinery and oil storage facilities were followed by a rise in Brent crude prices to around $98 per barrel. The conflict has raised concerns that crude oil prices could cross $100 per barrel.

The analysis further warns that if attacks on Saudi oil production continue, crude prices could potentially rise to between $105 and $120 per barrel.

Such a rise would have consequences for major oil-importing countries, including India.

With the Mecca Pact facing its first major security challenge, the key question now is whether Pakistan and Türkiye will eventually move beyond diplomatic condemnation or continue to keep their military forces out of the Saudi-Houthi conflict.

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