Analysis: Could the Mecca Mecca Defence Alliance be activated as Yemen war escalates?

By Al Jazeera English

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Pakistan’s Defence Minister says the Mecca Joint Defence Alliance could be activated as Yemen’s conflict threatens to spill over into Saudi Arabia. Retired Pakistani General Zahid Mahmood says Pakistan stands “with the spirit of the Mecca Accord”, with the Defence Minister’s statement aimed at “establishing deterrence” and ensuring the conflict does not “transcend to Saudi lands”. Mahmood says Islamabad is likely to prioritise diplomacy and strategic dialogue to deter the Houthis from expanding the conflict into Saudi territory before considering military action. But Saudi analyst Abdulaziz Al-Gashian says the alliance is still “under construction” and is not yet ready for activation, stressing the significance of the Pakistani minister saying it “could” be invoked rather than that it “will” be. Al-Gashian says Saudi Arabia is likely to respond with “measured” and “tit-for-tat” action rather than a “long-winded campaign”. Both analysts warn that Houthi territorial gains could allow the

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