Türkiye to Deploy Troops and Air Defense Systems to Saudi Arabia Within Weeks

Türkiye plans to send troops and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia within weeks to support the country, which has faced attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Middle East Eye reported on October 6 local time.

According to a senior Turkish official, Türkiye has been deploying technical personnel, air defense networks, and electronic warfare equipment since last year to protect Saudi Arabia's key infrastructure, including energy facilities, and now plans to dispatch additional equipment, technicians, and combat troops.

To make this happen, the Mecca Joint Defense Treaty signed last month by three countries—Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan—must first be ratified by the Turkish parliament, but the official noted that a separate bill approving the deployment to Saudi Arabia could also be processed on a priority basis.

Another official stated that the purpose of the troops Türkiye will send is limited to "defensive support" and that they will be stationed at at least one command post (CP).

"Turkish technicians already carried out work related to the command post project in Saudi Arabia throughout September," the official added.

Sources predicted that after a formal vote takes place in the Turkish parliament around the end of this month, a limited number of Turkish special forces could be deployed to Saudi Arabia.

Other sources said that Türkiye will send military aircraft and pilots to Saudi Arabia to counter ballistic missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) fired by the Houthi rebels.

However, a senior Turkish official clearly distanced themselves from a large-scale war participation, stating, "We have no plans to deploy troops on a large scale or directly intervene in Yemen," and adding, "We think diplomatic efforts could bear fruit within a few months."

Middle East Eye analyzed that the deployment of Turkish forces to Saudi Arabia could contribute to protecting the East-West cross-country oil pipeline and defending Islamic holy sites.

A Saudi source stated that the Turkish military command will operate a separate base and conduct joint operations with Saudi and Pakistani counterparts.

On October 5, the three nations of the Mecca defense alliance—Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan—held an emergency meeting in Riyadh and issued a joint stance stating, "We will immediately begin the practical implementation of our collective defense commitments, provide the agreed military forces and capabilities, and take necessary measures to ensure their rapid deployment to Saudi Arabia."

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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.