Türkiye Sending Mainly Defensive, Technical Support to Saudi Arabia, Officials Say

Türkiye is sending mainly defensive and technical support to Saudi Arabia to help it counter Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, two officials said on Wednesday, after Türkiye and Pakistan pledged to act on the collective defence commitment of their new alliance. Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. On Monday, the three countries said they had agreed to move immediately to implement their collective defence commitments and ensure the "rapid deployment" of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

What Türkiye Is Providing

A Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the support expected from Türkiye is limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, and that no other form of deployment has taken place so far. A US official briefed on the matter said the assistance is broadly defensive, including strategic planning support, logistics, drone operators, help with fine-tuning defensive measures, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Why It Is Mostly Bilateral for Now

Officials said Turkish support, including air defence systems, is largely bilateral for now because Türkiye's parliament has not yet ratified the pact. They said the amount and nature of the support would increase after ratification.

Türkiye's Position

Türkiye has NATO's second-largest army and a strong defence industry. It has condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, said it is willing to help meet Riyadh's technical military needs, and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to ensure navigational safety in the Red Sea. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after an extraordinary meeting of the Makkah alliance in Riyadh that the sides discussed what support to give Saudi Arabia to strengthen its defensive capabilities. Pakistani and regional officials say Ankara and Islamabad have provided Saudi Arabia with military equipment that the kingdom is using in Yemen.

Situation in Yemen

This week, Yemeni government forces with Saudi-led coalition air support launched a counter-offensive to recapture strategic territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an international shipping route for energy exports and other trade.