Yemeni official: Houthi forces in retreat and nearing collapse on all fronts

Turkey and Pakistan pledged to rapidly deploy forces to Saudi Arabia as part of a new mutual defense alliance, following a meeting in Riyadh on Monday, amid escalating attacks from Yemen's Houthis against the Gulf kingdom. The three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, committing to each other's aid if attacked.

Representatives of the NATO second-largest army, Turkey, the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, and the leading Gulf power, Saudi Arabia, discussed recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting Mecca and Medina, but did not name the Houthis. They strongly rejected any attack or threat against the Kingdom's security and territorial integrity and agreed to move immediately to the practical implementation of their collective defense commitments, ensuring the rapid deployment of military forces in the Kingdom.

The statement did not specify the exact role the troops would play once in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has faced repeated Houthi attacks on its cities, oil infrastructure, and ships since the civil war reignited in July. In September, the Houthis launched a new offensive, seizing territory from Yemen's Saudi-backed government, which launched a counteroffensive on Monday, with support from Riyadh, seeking to retake Houthi-held land, some of it for over a decade.