Türkiye prepares to seek parliamentary authorization for a Saudi deployment under a defense pact, with the proposed role described as defensive

Türkiye is preparing to ask parliament for authorization to send military personnel to Saudi Arabia under a defense agreement with Riyadh and Pakistan, a lawmaker from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party told Reuters on Wednesday, 21 October. The move would bring NATO’s second-largest military closer to direct involvement in Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen.

The authorization request will be submitted after parliament ratifies the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which the three countries signed in August and formally presented to Turkish lawmakers on Tuesday.

The lawmaker, speaking anonymously, said Turkish personnel deployed under the pact would not take part in offensive operations. Ankara would initially send military technicians and specialists to assist Saudi Arabia with air defense systems, electronic warfare capabilities and other defensive support.

Two officials previously told Reuters that Türkiye’s contribution was expected to focus on military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems. No deployments under the agreement have taken place so far, they said.

Türkiye has also agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition ostensibly intended to “secure navigation” in the Red Sea, further expanding its military cooperation with Riyadh amid ongoing Yemeni Armed Forces operations against Saudi-backed forces. Ankara has condemned Ansarallah’s attacks, while officials insist Türkiye’s military role will remain strictly defensive as the proposed deployment deepens its involvement in the Saudi-led regional security framework.