Recent Houthi military activity, including the reported seizure of islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has prompted Saudi Arabia to intensify its diplomatic outreach to the United States. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently met with U.S. Central Command head Admiral Brad Cooper in Jeddah to discuss the security situation, which has contributed to rising oil prices.

Simultaneously, the attacks are serving as a stress test for a trilateral defense agreement signed in Mecca on August 7 between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. The pact, which includes a collective defense clause similar to NATO’s Article 5, was intended to bolster regional security. However, analysts suggest that the current crisis has revealed a lack of concrete military planning or operational coordination among the signatories. While the agreement promised mutual protection, the practical implementation of this defense pact remains unclear as the Houthis continue their operations in the region.