Riyadh forges a new regional alliance emerging from Israel concerns
Increasing security cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Türkiye could become the nucleus of a wider group for ad hoc coordination.
Recent security cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Türkiye appears to be forming the core of a potential new regional alliance, according to the International Crisis Group's Yasmine Farouk. This "Regional Four" group was initially established due to shared concerns over Israel's military actions. However, the complex dynamics between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have also played a role in shaping this alliance.
While the R4 countries' interests may not be completely aligned, they differ in terms of threat perceptions and their capacity to respond. Their reliance on US military support and technology varies as well. The ultimate challenge for this alliance will be whether it can contribute to ending the Iran war.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.