{
  "id": 385901,
  "title": "Pakistan says new defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey is 'purely defensive' and open to others",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/pakistan-says-new-defense-pact-with-saudi-arabia-and-turkey-is-purely",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T15:20:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PBS NewsHour",
    "slug": "pbs-newshour",
    "url": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/pakistan-says-new-defense-pact-with-saudi-arabia-and-turkey-is-purely-defensive-and-open-to-others"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have signed a new defense pact, which Pakistan describes as purely defensive and open to other countries. The agreement, known as the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, aims to deepen security cooperation among the three nations amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, according to PBS NewsHour.\n\nThe region has seen increased attacks in recent times. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have struck an Aramco oil facility on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast with a drone, as reported by Dawn and CBC News. The Houthis also targeted \"Saudi enemy\" troops and equipment in Yemen's Red Sea coastal city of Mokha with missiles and drones, and attacked pro-government forces and installations outside Mokha and sites on islands near the Bab al-Mandeb.\n\nPakistan is also taking steps to strengthen its energy security. The country plans to launch a scheme with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar for oil storage, as announced by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, according to Dawn - Pakistan. This move aims to boost domestic storage for crude oil and refined products, reducing Pakistan's vulnerability to oil supply shocks.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf Times",
        "title": "Qatar welcomes Security Council's statement condemning attacks by Houthi Group against Saudi Arabia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/qatar-welcomes-security-councils-statement-condemning-attacks-by",
        "published": "2026-08-09T10:47:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Thunderstorm rain forecast to persist in parts of Saudi Arabia through week’s end",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/thunderstorm-rain-forecast-to-persist-in-parts-of-saudi-arabia",
        "published": "2026-08-09T11:53:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "Saudi Arabia, Yemen condemn attack on UAE tanker",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/saudi-arabia-yemen-condemn-attack-on-uae-tanker",
        "published": "2026-08-09T12:00:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}