Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey.. "Makkah Alliance" Meets in Riyadh to Discuss Developments in the Region

- The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Sunday that the Saudi capital, Riyadh, will host a meeting on Monday between officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan to discuss recent developments in the region, in light of the announcement by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government to begin a wide-ranging military operation. This meeting comes as part of the work of the "Strategic and Political Defense Committee," referring to the Mecca defense alliance similar to NATO, which was established in August, and the committee is committed to organizing security and military cooperation in the region.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry added in its statement that the meeting will discuss "recent developments in the region and the level of progress made in efforts to institutionalize the alliance." The Saudi-backed Yemeni government announced on Sunday the start of a wide-ranging military operation aimed at repelling the advances made by the Iran-backed Houthi group in recent times.

The Iran-backed Houthis launched a swift attack last month along the Red Sea coast and managed to seize a major port, increasing pressure on international maritime security. The President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, stated in a televised speech on Sunday that the military operations aim to reclaim the territories still controlled by the Houthis and to restore state authority across the country.

The renewed fighting has already led to the displacement of tens of thousands from their homes, while upcoming developments may affect the balance of power in Yemen, as well as cause further disruption to maritime traffic through the Red Sea. In early September, the Houthis took control of vast areas of the Yemeni coast along the Red Sea, extending south to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is a vital passage for commercial ships heading to the Indian Ocean.

The Houthis announced that they will target Saudi ships attempting to cross the strait, threatening to impose additional pressures on global trade routes and energy transport pathways. Since late July, the Houthis have launched ballistic missiles and drones towards multiple targets in Saudi Arabia, including industrial facilities and energy installations.

A significant part of the fighting in recent times has focused on the Taiz region in southern Yemen, where the Houthis have sought to cut supply lines and isolate government forces in the regional capital. The Houthis stated on Sunday that they have taken control of a major highway linking Taiz to the Yemeni government's headquarters in Aden.

It is worth noting that the war in Yemen, which erupted in March/April 2015, has claimed the lives of 377,000 people by the end of 2021 - including deaths from direct and indirect causes - according to United Nations data. The organization clarified that more than 150,000 of these victims died as a direct result of the armed conflict, while others succumbed to hunger and disease resulting from the humanitarian crisis caused by the war.

A truce - brokered by the United Nations in 2022 - led to a period of relatively reduced hostilities between the two sides, before violence escalated again in August.