Allies unite behind Saudi Arabia as Houthis step up attacks

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis. The meeting, which will involve the chiefs of staff of the three countries, was arranged after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the kingdom's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.

The Houthis have launched strikes on the Saudi-backed government in Yemen and repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world's largest energy exporter. According to Saudi Arabia, the Houthis fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi targets, and the kingdom's authorities intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi fighters.

France will send troops and defense systems to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, which is key for energy transport, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan called on soldiers stationed on the front lines to "remain permanently prepared to carry out" their duty, urging them to "listen to and obey the rulers and your commanders in the field" and execute orders.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, The Korea Times, Jerusalem Post, The National Business, The National UAE — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.