Kuala Lampur, Oct. 6 -- The Houthis may be approaching a strategic threshold. Their repeated attacks against Saudi Arabia are no longer testing Riyadh alone. They are beginning to test the credibility, patience and deterrent capacity of Turkiye and Pakistan too.

That distinction became considerably sharper on October 5.

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan agreed in Riyadh to move immediately towards the practical implementation of their collective defence commitments under the Makkah Alliance for Defense.

More significantly, they agreed to take the necessary measures for the provision and "rapid deployment" of agreed military forces and capabilities inside Saudi Arabia.

This is a major development.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, ...