‘Muslim NATO’ activates force deployment over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

The move comes as a Saudi-led coalition says 100 fighter jets have joined a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen A three-nation military alliance dubbed the “Muslim NATO” has activated its collective-defense commitments and ordered the rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia amid an escalating confrontation with Yemen’s Houthis.Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan made the decision at an emergency meeting of the Mecca Defense Alliance in Riyadh on Monday after a series of Houthi attacks. In a joint statement they condemned the “attempted targeting” of the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic infrastructure.The group decided to “move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defense commitments” and take measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their “rapid deployment” in Saudi Arabia. It said the move was intended to boost military readiness and integration and strengthen the three countries’ “collective capacity to confront and counter threats.”The Emergency Meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee under t...