Overview
- The three countries formally signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday, Aug. 7, committing that an armed attack on one will be treated as an attack on all.
- Turkey’s defence ministry on Aug. 13 said the pact will create ministerial and chiefs‑of‑staff mechanisms, a Saudi‑based secretariat and a schedule of graduated joint exercises starting with command‑post and field drills.
- Signatories plan to deepen defence‑industry ties with joint production, technology transfer and priority work on unmanned and autonomous systems, electronic warfare and artificial‑intelligence capabilities.
- Turkish leaders are actively pushing to expand the pact — with Egypt flagged as a likely next member — while key operational, command, legal and Pakistan’s nuclear‑umbrella questions remain unresolved.
- The deal reflects regional states’ effort to share security burdens during the US‑Iran war that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea and could reshape how Gulf and regional powers seek deterrence.