Turkey has sent the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement to its legislature for approval, according to Reuters. This move brings the nation, which maintains NATO's second-largest military, closer to a formalized mutual defense commitment with Riyadh. Three parliamentary sources confirmed the submission occurred on Tuesday, marking a key step in the legislative process.
The pact, concluded in August, establishes that a military strike on any single signatory is treated as a threat to the entire group. Article 2 of the document, reviewed by Reuters, dictates that members must use every available tool to support a state under attack. This clause parallels NATO’s collective defense mechanism and cites the UN Charter’s provisions on self-defense. The text also outlines collaboration on defense manufacturing, intelligence exchange, and logistical aid.
The push for ratification is driven by escalating strikes from Iran-backed Houthis against Saudi Arabia. Al-Monitor noted that the most severe Houthi assault happened on October 10, hitting Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and causing 12 deaths and over 300 injuries. After emergency discussions in Riyadh on October 5, the three nations pledged to facilitate the quick movement of military assets into the kingdom. Burhanettin Duran, communications director for President Tayyip Erdogan, characterized the partnership as a crucial step toward institutionalizing strategic ties and boosting collective deterrence.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus will forward the document to the foreign affairs commission after returning from Kyrgyzstan. One source suggested the committee might discuss the text as early as Friday. Upon committee approval, the measure will face a full parliamentary vote. Turkish officials anticipate that Ankara’s role will focus on supplying hardware, sharing intelligence, and providing weapon systems, rather than committing a large ground force. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan explained that the arrangement is defensive, meaning Turkey would not dispatch soldiers to Yemen for offensive operations, though its constitution still mandates separate legislative consent for any overseas troop deployment.