How quickly could Turkey send military forces to back Saudi Arabia?

Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia pledged at a meeting of ministers and military commanders under the Makkah defence pact to ensure the rapid deployment of military forces to support Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Foreign policy adviser Deniz Karakullukcu stated that this pact has moved faster than expected from a declaratory collective defense framework to practical military implementation.

However, agreeing to send forces is not the same as an immediate mobilization, and Turkey is unlikely to commit large numbers of troops to another country's conflict. Turkey must approve the pact in parliament before President Erdogan can ratify it. Despite this, Turkey can provide limited technical and military support before the pact is approved and ratified domestically.

Turkish officials expect the issue to be brought up in the parliament's agenda in the coming period, but no exact timeline is available. While Turkey can send air defense and missile systems and military advisers, it is unlikely to deploy large-scale, cross-border operations in Yemen. Ankara has a delicate position in the conflict due to its trade and political relationships with Iran, which backs the Houthis.

Turkish officials have emphasized the need for diplomacy and dialogue alongside providing defensive contributions to Saudi Arabia.