Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, the members of the Mecca Defense Pact, collectively possess military capabilities including nearly 3,400 military aircraft of various types, 5,700 tanks, around 98,000 armored vehicles, and 335 naval vessels, according to data from Global Firepower’s Coalition Builder tool.
These capabilities have taken on greater significance amid escalating tensions with the Houthis and the decision by the alliance’s Political, Strategic and Defense Committee to immediately move toward implementing collective defense commitments, providing agreed-upon forces and military capabilities, and ensuring their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Coalitions Builder tool, the three countries have a combined military manpower index of nearly 3 million personnel. Together, they also possess more than 2,000 self-propelled artillery systems, around 4,800 artillery pieces, and more than 1,200 multiple rocket launchers.
These figures represent the overall military capabilities of the three countries based on the indicators compiled by the tool. They do not reflect the size of the forces or equipment that may actually be deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan held an emergency meeting of the Mecca Defense Pact’s Political, Strategic and Defense Committee in Riyadh to discuss security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the committee decided to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed-upon forces and military capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia in accordance with approved arrangements and the parties’ national legislation. The move is intended to strengthen military readiness and integration and enhance the three countries’ collective ability to confront threats.
The parties stressed that the security of each member is an integral part of the collective security of the three countries. They also emphasized that translating the Mecca Defense Pact into practical measures would strengthen deterrence, reaffirming their determination to defend their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the pact.
Escalating Confrontation with the Houthis
The activation of collective defense commitments comes amid a military escalation in the confrontation with the Houthis, following the resumption of attacks on Saudi Arabia since July after the collapse of a truce reached in 2022 between the Houthis and Yemen’s government.
The Houthis have repeatedly launched ballistic missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia. They have also claimed that Riyadh bombed Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing there. The group later announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in response to what it described as a blockade of areas under its control, before resuming attacks on Saudi tankers and oil facilities.
The Houthis have recently expanded the areas under their control at the expense of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, particularly parts of the western coast overlooking the Red Sea and strategic areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Saudi-backed government forces subsequently launched operations under the name “Dawn of Yemen” to retake areas captured by the Houthis.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait has gained increasing importance for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports amid Iran’s restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa. Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2015.
Military Capabilities of the Alliance
According to Coalition Builder data, Saudi Arabia has 407,000 personnel in the military manpower index. It possesses 917 aircraft, 840 tanks, nearly 19,000 armored vehicles, 332 self-propelled artillery systems, 467 artillery pieces, 321 multiple rocket launchers and 32 naval vessels.
Pakistan has around 1.7 million personnel in the military manpower index. It possesses approximately 1,400 aircraft, more than 2,600 tanks, around 17,500 armored vehicles, 662 self-propelled artillery systems, more than 2,600 artillery pieces, 600 multiple rocket launchers and 121 naval vessels.
Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed country among the three members.
Türkiye has approximately 884,000 personnel in the military manpower index. It possesses around 1,100 aircraft, more than 2,200 tanks, approximately 61,000 armored vehicles, more than 1,000 self-propelled artillery systems, around 1,700 artillery pieces, 296 multiple rocket launchers and 182 naval vessels.
