Turkey rules out combat with Houthis under defence pact as foreign ministers meet in Istanbul

On Friday, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated that Turkey anticipates no combat role for its forces under a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The ministers of these nations convened in Istanbul to deliberate on regional developments. Guler clarified that the primary objective of potential military support to Saudi Arabia would be to bolster deterrence.

He reaffirmed that Turkey does not envision entering any conflict with the Houthis and prioritises averting new tensions in the region while contributing to security and stability. Turkey will evaluate requests for military assistance to Saudi Arabia post-parliamentary ratification of the agreement. The Makkah defense agreement, signed in August and currently under ratification by Turkey's parliament, is premised on the concept that an attack on one member nation is deemed an attack on all.

However, Article 2 of the pact triggers assistance provisions if a country faces attack or military aggression by another entity. This has sparked debate regarding the pact's applicability to Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have ratified the agreement. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan engaged in bilateral talks in Istanbul on Friday, alongside representatives from Turkey and Egypt, during the Regional Four (R4) ministerial meeting.

They exchanged perspectives on bilateral ties and regional happenings, notably the Yemen situation. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar denounced the Houthi attacks on civilian areas in Saudi Arabia in a ministry statement. The bilateral discussions concluded with a joint statement from the ministers condemning the Houthi escalation, including strikes on civilian targets and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb strait.

They expressed solidarity with Yemen and Saudi Arabia, urging the Houthis to cease hostilities and return to political negotiations. Saudi Arabia has recently faced intensified Houthi attacks, including strikes on airports that have hampered air travel and postponed significant international events in the kingdom. The Houthis have also launched assaults on Saudi energy and military installations.