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Members of the trilateral Mecca defense pact discussed arrangements for an urgent meeting of their chiefs of staff as Riyadh's top cleric urged troops to be ready to fight the group following fresh attacks claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, according to Saudi media.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held consultations at Saudi Arabia's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York on Thursday, the Saudi Gazette reported.
The ministers reviewed preparations for the chiefs of staff meeting, which is set to examine ways to support Saudi Arabia under the Mecca defense agreement. The pact stipulates that an attack against any one of its parties constitutes an attack against all parties.
The ministers also strongly condemned attacks that sought to target Mecca as well as civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia.
The officials discussed regional developments and stressed the importance of international law, good-neighborly relations, respect for state sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, the report suggested.
They also underlined the importance of protecting the security and freedom of maritime navigation and renewed their commitment to working toward sustainable peace and stability in the region, backing efforts to de-escalate tensions and advance peaceful solutions to ongoing crises.
In a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Fidan was reported to have met with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts, with the ministers reviewing progress in technical talks to institutionalize cooperation under the agreement and discussing preparations for the next meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee.
Meanwhile, Grand Mufti Salih al-Fawzan called on Saudi military personnel to be ready to fight the Houthis with their lives, describing the restoration of security and stability in Yemen as one of the country's most important duties, according to Saudi Arabia's official SPA news agency.
Fawzan urged Saudi forces and the Saudi-led Arab Coalition to remain united and described the Houthis as an enemy that had spread discord, divided the population, rebelled against its rulers and attempted to harm Muslim holy sites.
"You must always be ready to carry out your duty, listen to your superiors and field commanders, and follow their orders with the utmost precision," Fawzan said.
He further described defending Saudi Arabia, securing its borders and repelling attacks as major responsibilities, with particular emphasis on protecting its sacred sites.
Saudi Arabia has accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca after its air defenses intercepted a drone near the holy city on Sept. 16, while the Houthis denied targeting Mecca or other Islamic holy sites.
The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting Saudi Arabia's border areas and southern provinces with ballistic missiles and drones.
Most recently, the group reported on Thursday that it targeted a "sensitive target" in Riyadh and an Aramco facility in the Yanbu area with missiles and drones.
In a post on X, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that Saudi Arabia's blockade and attacks on Yemen were continuing and that 1018 airstrikes had been carried out during a period of intensified clashes involving F-15 and Typhoon aircraft operating from Khamis Mushait and Taif. He also reported missile launches from Najran and Jazan.
Saree described the Riyadh and Yanbu strikes as retaliation and claimed they had "successfully" hit their targets.
Fighting between Yemen's government forces and the Iran-backed Houthis had intensified since July, while the Houthis had periodically launched ballistic missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia, accusing Riyadh of attacking them.
The escalation is also unfolding along Yemen's Red Sea coast, where Houthi forces have been advancing toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a key route for international shipping.
Yemen's internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council Vice President Abdullah al-Alimi told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that protecting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a shared regional and international responsibility, warning that Houthi attacks on maritime navigation have turned the vital shipping route into a tool of pressure.
He called for stronger international support for Yemen's government, arguing that a secure Red Sea depends on a stable Yemen and effective state authority.
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