Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defense pact in Jeddah on Friday, as tensions with Iran rise; The agreement follows months of talks and recent regional developments that accelerated the process, sources told AFP Related TopicsTurkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will sign a joint defense agreement on Friday, according to two regional sources described as having “direct knowledge of the matter.” AFP reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will sign the agreement at a summit in Jeddah.The two reports did not provide further details about the agreement or specify which provisions it would include. The three leaders will meet amid tensions with Iran. Another source told AFP that “the issue has been under discussion for a long time, and recent regional developments have accelerated the pace of events.”GalleryPakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Photo: SPA Saudi Pess Agancey)Last month, Erdoğan and Sharif met in Istanbul. “The talks also addressed regional and international issues,” the Turkish president said at a joint press conference. “We support every step aimed at reducing escalation in our region and contributing to resolving problems through dialogue. The current Israeli government, which is addicted to wars, must not be allowed to once again plunge our region into the smell of gunpowder and blood.”About a year ago, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan — one of nine nuclear powers — stipulating that an attack on the territory of either country would be considered an attack on both. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Sharif. The move was viewed at the time as a signal toward Israel, as it came a week after Israel’s unusual strike on Qatar and amid reports that Pakistan is the only country in the Middle East that possesses nuclear weapons.Meanwhile, after dozens of soldiers were killed in Yemen in what appeared to be the Houthis’ deadliest attack in years, 11 people were injured overnight in strikes by the rebels in the Saudi city of Najran. The Saudi-led military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said those wounded included Saudi civilians, a woman and a 4-year-old child who sustained moderate injuries.Erdoğan. 'We support every step aimed at reducing escalation in our region' (Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)People holding Yemeni, Egyptian and Pakistani citizenship were also wounded in the attack, which came after a senior Saudi official said there had been several intelligence warnings from the United States and other countries about an expected attack targeting economic and civilian sites, energy infrastructure, ports and airports.At least 58 soldiers belonging to Yemen’s government forces were killed on Friday in a Houthi attack. The strikes targeted bases in the Marib and Hadramout provinces, which are controlled by the internationally recognized government. The Yemeni army confirmed there were deaths and injuries among its ranks but did not provide official figures. The government’s health minister ordered hospitals and medical facilities in both provinces to raise their alert levels and prepare to receive additional casualties.Marib is no longer just a frontline province. It is considered one of the main remaining strongholds of the anti-Houthi camp in northern Yemen, and it contains the country’s only gas field and one of its largest oil fields. A fall or weakening of forces in the area could give the Houthis a significant economic and military advantage. Hadramout, meanwhile, is Yemen’s largest province and a key arena in the power struggle between the Saudi-backed government and southern separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates.The attack is considered one of the deadliest escalations inside Yemen since an unofficial ceasefire came into effect in April 2022. The arrangement did not officially end the civil war but largely froze front lines and reduced major fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government. The United States condemned the attack, saying it was another example of the terrorism the Houthis are carrying out against the Yemeni people.The attack came after weeks of renewed deterioration in relations between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Last month, the rebels announced a “naval blockade” against the kingdom in the Red Sea, in response to what they described as the Saudi blockade of Yemen. Riyadh rejects the claim and accuses the Houthis of attempting to disrupt international shipping and its oil exports.Comments