Turkey, Pakistan to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia under Mecca pact

Under the August Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, Turkey and Pakistan agreed to rapid deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia following an emergency Riyadh meeting. This unites NATO's second-largest army, a nuclear-armed state, and the largest Gulf power, signaling a major shift in regional defense alignment. The scope and timing of deployment remain unclear, but the move escalates collective defense commitments in the Gulf.