Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan have announced they are planning an urgent meeting of their chiefs of staff to discuss ways to support the kingdom under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
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they → announce → Agreement
The announcement followed a meeting on Thursday in New York between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
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announcement → follow → Agency
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list of 4 items- list 1 of 4How much is UK supporting Saudi Arabia in its war with Iran-backed Houthis?
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UK → support → Houthis
- list 2 of 4Yemeni government in military and diplomatic push to reverse Houthi gains
- list 3 of 4Yemeni forces say they repel Houthi attacks in Taiz as fighting rages
- list 4 of 4Saudi-led coalition says shot down 6 ballistic missiles launched by Houthis
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coalition → reverse → Houthis
The statement did not say when the military chiefs would meet or what form of support could be considered.
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form → say → support
Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 to strengthen collective deterrence and expand defence cooperation.
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Arabia → sign → cooperation
The pact stipulates that an attack on one of the three countries is considered an attack on them all.
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attack → stipulate → them
The three countries have since begun setting up mechanisms under the pact.
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countries → begin → pact
Their foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs met in Istanbul on August 31 for the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, agreeing to establish a secretariat in Saudi Arabia and to deepen military cooperation.
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ministers → meet → cooperation
Thursday’s foreign ministers’ meeting also condemned attacks targeting Mecca as well as civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia, and it affirmed the kingdom’s right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
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it → condemn → Charter
The diplomatic moves came as Saudi Arabia reported a fresh wave of attacks from Yemen.
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Arabia → come → Yemen
Saudi Arabia said its air defences shot down six ballistic missiles launched towards Taif and Yanbu on Thursday.
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defences → say → Thursday
Major-General Turki al-Malki, the coalition spokesman, said further Houthi escalation would be “dealt with firmly”.
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escalation → say → ?
Saudi Civil Defence authorities had issued alerts in several areas before later saying the danger had passed.
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danger → issue → areas
The Houthis separately claimed missile and drone attacks on a “sensitive target” in Riyadh and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
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Houthis → claim → Yanbu
France has also offered to provide defensive support to Saudi Arabia.
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France → offer → Arabia
President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would send military assets to help protect Yanbu.
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Paris → say → Yanbu
“We are going to send military assets, meaning soldiers, radars and defence systems to protect this site,” Macron said in an interview with TF1 on Thursday.
Yemen clashes drive rising casualties and displacement
The cross-border attacks have coincided with some of the heaviest fighting inside Yemen since hostilities escalated again.
Fighting across several fronts in Yemen killed at least 150 Houthi fighters and members of government-aligned forces in the 24 hours leading into Friday, according to an AFP news agency tally.
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Fighting → go → tally
The toll compiled by AFP included 98 fighters on the government side and 52 from the Houthis, with clashes reported around the Kahboub Mountains and areas between Lahj and Taiz overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
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toll → compile → strait
The Houthis have also expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including by taking the port city of Mocha and strategic islands.
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Houthis → expand → Mocha
The gains have strengthened the group’s position around Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
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gains → strengthen → corridors
About 12 percent of global trade normally passes through the waterway, according to AP.
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percent → pass → AP
Yemen’s internationally recognised government has urged greater international involvement, warning at the UN General Assembly that Houthi control around the strait poses a wider economic risk.
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control → recognise → risk
Vice President Abdullah Abdulkader Al Alimi-Bawzer accused the Houthis of using freedom of navigation as leverage, saying their actions were “taking hostage the entire global economy”.
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actions → accuse → economy
The renewed fighting has forced more than 230,000 people from their homes since the beginning of September, according to UNHCR, as clashes spread across multiple front lines.
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clashes → renew → lines
The agency said the latest displacement has added to about 5.2 million people already internally displaced across Yemen.
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displacement → say → Yemen
UNHCR said families have been uprooted across governorates, including Hodeidah, Taiz, Lahj, Aden, Abyan, Marib, al-Dhalea and Shabwah, with many fleeing at short notice and leaving with few belongings.
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many → say → belongings
Shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and protection services are among the most urgent needs, while host communities and displacement sites are becoming increasingly overstretched.
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communities → become → needs
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