Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign defence pact

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have concluded a defence agreement, the parties said during a meeting in Mecca between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan person signed a associated defence agreement, saying an onslaught connected 1 of them would beryllium seen arsenic an onslaught connected each three. The pact aims to strengthen security ties amid tensions between the United States and Iran that have disrupted Saudi shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had previously announced a joint defence pact last year. Iran and its allies have launched attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states and have blockaded shipments after the United States and Israel struck on 28 February. In Yemen, Iran‑backed Houthi rebels, who control the north of the country, have been fighting government forces backed by a Saudi‑led coalition. Last period the Houthis announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and targeted Saudi airports, oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has responded with strikes on Houthi positions and by forming a new naval coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Announcing the pact on Friday, Pakistan's overseas ministry said an attack on any of the three states "shall be regarded as an attack against them all". This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. Readers can receive breaking news on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. They can also