Mecca Defence Pact Fills Deterrence Vacuum After US-Israeli War on Iran

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan signed a NATO-style mutual-defence pact in Mecca in early August 2026. Analyst Betul Dogan-Akkas of Ankara University says Gulf states lost deterrence after the US-Israeli war on Iran began February 28, 2026, and must re-establish it without relying on Washington. Analyst Umer Karim frames the pact as hedging alongside, not replacing, US guarantees.