PDB Afternoon Bulletin | October 6th, 2026: Pakistan and Turkey Join The Fight Against The Houthis & Ukraine Hits Moscow

Mike Baker (0:01)

Continuing to keep a close eye on the rapidly developing conflict involving the Iran-backed Houthis, Saudi Arabia and Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen, yesterday the big question was whether Pakistan and Turkey would step in to help the Saudis. Today we seem to have our answer. According to multiple reports, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey have now activated their new collective defense pact for the first time, agreeing to begin the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia, as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify.

As we've reported here on the PDB, the Mecca Defense Pact, as it's known, was signed just in August, and its central provision is a fairly straightforward provision. An attack on one member is treated as an attack on all three. Until now though, that was rather theoretical. We didn't really know what that would mean in practice. But after an emergency meeting in Riyadh, officials from the three countries announced that they were activating what they called Collective Deterrence Measures and moving immediately toward the practical implementation of their defense commitments. The Houthis have expanded their attacks inside the kingdom, as Saudi Arabia backs a major offensive against them in Yemen. On Monday evening, Saudi authorities say the Houthis targeted airports in Jizan and Najran, that's near the Yemeni border, injuring three people and damaging both facilities. The Houthis have also claimed attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, military facilities, and other airports as they retaliate for the Saudi-backed campaign now underway inside Yemen.

So Riyadh now has a clear argument that this is not simply a war happening next door. Saudi territory itself is under attack, and Pakistan appears to already be playing a role. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif says Pakistani personnel are supporting Saudi operations, including with reconnaissance and other assistance. He stressed that Saudi forces are the ones conducting the actual combat operations inside Yemen, but said Pakistan is providing whatever support Riyadh requires. At this point, we don't have evidence that Pakistani troops are crossing into Yemen, or that Pakistani aircraft are carrying out strikes against Houthi positions. But Pakistan is no longer simply standing on the sidelines, discussing what it might do.

Turkey's role is less clear. Ankara signed on to the decision to activate the alliance and agreed to the rapid deployment mechanism. But Turkey is not publicly laid out exactly what forces or capabilities it intends to send. There's also a legal issue. Turkey's parliament has not yet ratified the defense pact, and a significant deployment of Turkish troops abroad would require parliamentary approval.

The Mecca Pact is being activated as a defensive alliance because Saudi Arabia is being attacked by Houthi missiles and drones. But at the same time, Saudi Arabia is heavily involved in an offensive war inside Yemen. As we've been reporting, the Saudi-led coalition says roughly 100 fighter jets are supporting Yemeni government forces. Those forces have retaken territory around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the port of Moqa, while the broader campaign is now openly aimed at eventually retaking Sana'a from the Houthis. Saudi forces have also announced strikes on missile infrastructure inside Houthi-tailed territory, including a ballistic missile launch platform in Sana'a and a storage facility in Saada, said to contain around 20 missiles.

So there is a potentially important gray area developing here. Pakistan can deploy air defenses to protect Saudi airports, provide reconnaissance to help detect incoming Houthi missiles, and share intelligence to help Riyadh defend its territory. But if that reconnaissance identifies missile launchers sitting across the border in Yemen and Saudi aircraft then strike those launchers, the line between defending Saudi Arabia and supporting offensive operations inside Yemen starts getting somewhat thin.

That may become one of the key questions surrounding this alliance in the days ahead. There's also a broader regional significance here, because the United States has so far resisted Saudi requests to join the Yemen campaign with a larger direct air operation against the Iranian proxy group. Pakistan brings one of the largest armed forces in the Muslim world, and of course, it is a nuclear armed state. Turkey brings NATO's second largest military, a sophisticated drone industry and considerable experience operating beyond its borders. For the first time, those three countries now have an alliance that's being activated in response to an actual war.

All right, coming up next, Ukraine continues to take its refinery war deep into Russia, launching a massive drone attack near Moscow, as Kiev claims more than half of Russian refining capacity is now offline. I'll be right back.

Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, regular listeners of the PDB know that I am constantly traveling, and when you're on the road, a reliable, well-designed power bank is an essential everyday item that makes life much, much easier. That's why Ridge's 5-in-1 travel power bank makes the ultimate gift, whether for someone on your list or for yourself. And it is true, the gift-giving season is right around the corner. Ridge's 5-in-1 travel power bank has it all, built-in cables, MagSafe wireless charging, Apple Watch charger, plus lightning and USB-C. For anyone upgrading to the new iPhone 18, the charger deserves an upgrade, too, don't you think? It packs 20 watts of power, and get this, it's got a 10,000 milliampere-hour battery, as if I know what that means, for up to three full charges. That's powerful. That's what I know. It's powerful. Plus a lifetime warranty. And for anyone looking to stay organized, check out their sleek tracker cards and iconic slim wallets as well. Seriously, I use a Ridge wallet, I've got the tracker card. This stuff is really amazing. The power pack, it all works a treat. Ready to get a head start on gifting? Well, you should. You can find Ridge's power bank at Best Buy, Amazon, or head on over to ridge.com and get 10% off with code PDB. That's ridge.com. It's R-I-D-G-E, just like it sounds ,.com, code PDB for 10% off. ridge.com is the perfect spot for your holiday shopping. And after you purchase, well, they'll ask where you heard about them. If you don't mind, let them know the PDB sent you. Hey, Mike Baker here with an important message for homeowners. Now, one of the most frustrating things about owning a home is that major repairs never happen at a convenient time. You know what I'm talking about. Your water heater quits when you've got guests staying, an electrical issue pops up, or your AC goes down during the hottest week of the summer. It's never during the winter. Suddenly, you're scrambling to find help, and you're hoping that repair bill is not going to be a disaster. These home issues and breakdowns often cost more than car repairs, and standard insurance won't cover the wear and tear. That's why HomeServe is a game changer. It's like a subscription for your home, starting at $4.99 a month. Trust me, if I had a breakdown, HomeServe is exactly who I'd want. They've got an A-plus rating with a better business bureau and a 24-7 hotline, so they're always within breach. Look, the truth is, your next costly home repair is coming. That's just how life works. Act now and get protected with a plan through HomeServe. For 50% less on your first year, go to homeserve.com/dailybrief to find the plan that's right for you. That's homeserve.com/dailybrief for 50% less. Savings are compared to renewal price and it's void in Florida.