Erdogan condemns Houthi attack on Riyadh and advances trilateral defense pact

On October 10, 2026, an attack on Riyadh's international airport, attributed to Houthi rebels, resulted in 12 deaths and 309 injuries. Following the incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially condemned the strike, expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia in a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on October 13.

In the wake of this escalation, Erdogan announced that the institutional framework for a trilateral defense cooperation agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan—originally signed on August 7—is moving forward. The agreement is expected to be submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly for ratification in the coming days. The Turkish president noted that collective defense activities under this pact will be governed by national legislation, similar to protocols within NATO.

This initiative serves to deepen regional ties amid ongoing tensions stretching from Lebanon to Iran. Erdogan emphasized Turkey's role as a source of regional stability, advocating for the resolution of conflicts through diplomacy and dialogue. The government's actions signify a strategic shift toward formalizing mutual defense commitments between these three nations as a response to the volatile security environment in the Middle East.