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🇮🇱 Israel /Conflict & Security

Saudi Arabia's New Alliance Silent After Drone Attack on Jizan Refinery

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • Saudi Arabia's new alliance with Turkey and Pakistan, formed to counter aggression, remained silent after a Houthi drone attack on a Saudi oil refinery in Jizan.
  • The alliance's collective defense clause, described as comparable to NATO's Article 5, involves consultation rather than automatic military support.
  • A previous defense agreement with Pakistan, which saw Pakistan deploy troops and aircraft after Iran's attacks on Saudi targets, did not prevent further Iranian strikes.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan recently signed an agreement in Mecca, pledging that an attack on one would be considered an attack on all. However, this new alliance demonstrated a lack of immediate response when a Houthi drone struck the Aramco refinery in Jizan, an incident claimed by the Houthis as retaliation for Saudi actions.

Forty-eight hours earlier, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had stood together in Mecca and signed an agreement stating that an armed attack on any one of their countries would be regarded as an attack on all three.

— Jerusalem PostSetting the context of the newly signed alliance immediately before the drone attack.

While the Saudi energy ministry confirmed the fire and its extinguishment, neither Turkey nor Pakistan issued any statements following the drone attack. Israeli commentary speculated about the alliance forming an "Islamic NATO" or a "Sunni axis," but the pact's actual text remains unpublished, relying on official descriptions.

Turkey said nothing. Pakistan said nothing. There was never any reason to think otherwise.

— Jerusalem PostHighlighting the lack of response from Turkey and Pakistan following the drone attack.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the collective-defense clause as technically similar to NATO's Article 5, involving consultation to determine the nature and scale of assistance if a member is attacked. This consultative approach mirrors NATO's procedures, but also recalls instances where consultation did not prevent unilateral actions, such as three NATO members blocking planning for Turkey's defense before the Iraq war.

The joint statement says the agreement strengthens collective deterrence against aggression. The text has not been published, so everything written about the pact rests on what officials choose to describe.

— Jerusalem PostDescribing the stated purpose of the alliance and the lack of transparency regarding its text.

Saudi Arabia has previously tested a defense agreement with Pakistan, signed in September 2025. Following Israeli strikes on Hamas figures, Riyadh invoked this pact. Reports indicated Pakistan sent approximately 8,000 troops, 16 aircraft, and drone squadrons to Saudi Arabia, primarily for advisory and training roles. Despite this deployment, Iran subsequently targeted Saudi refineries and American aircraft, while Pakistan continued hosting talks between Washington and Tehran. The Mecca agreement appears to institutionalize a similar arrangement, involving foreign military assets on Saudi soil funded by Riyadh and operated by foreign crews.

If one member is attacked, the others consult to determine the nature and scale of any assistance. Consultation is what NATO members do too.

— Jerusalem PostExplaining the consultative nature of the alliance's collective defense clause, as described by Turkey's Foreign Minister.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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