The military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan pledged commitment to collective defense under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement after meeting in Riyadh, agreeing to deepen military and intelligence cooperation as Houthi attacks on the kingdom intensify. Pakistan's military said the chiefs "discussed ways to further advance cooperation among the armed forces of the three countries," covering expanded intelligence sharing, military coordination and integration of capabilities. Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saudi Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili attended.

Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman met Munir separately in Riyadh and said the two discussed the Houthi attacks, in particular on Mecca, and stressed the allies will continue to act together against them under the joint defense alliance. The pact treats an attack on one member as an attack on all three. Saudi Arabia formed the alliance in August and called on Pakistan and Turkey for help after saying Mecca was targeted on Sept. 15.

The pledges follow Houthi claims of strikes on a sensitive site in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu, and come as France prepares to deploy soldiers, radars and air defense systems to protect the Yanbu oil terminal, which was exporting more than 5 million barrels a day before the strike. French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon vowed to oppose Macron's plan, warning that "even if we did not want it, we would become belligerents" and demanding a parliamentary debate under Article 35 of the Constitution. Aramco has told European refiners there will be no crude shipments next month because of the attack on the East-West pipeline, and Brent crude traded above $105 a barrel.