Turkey is sending air defenses, drone operators, and other military and technical support to Saudi Arabia.

Two officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Turkey had made the decision to begin sending arms to Saudi Arabia. A US official who was briefed on the matter said that Turkey will limit its aid to technical support and military equipment, suggesting no Turkish troops, other than drone operators, would deploy to the kingdom. 

The official explained that the limited deployment was due to the agreement having been signed but not yet ratified by the Turkish parliament.

The deployment comes as Saudi Arabia faces an escalating war against Ansar Allah. The Houthis recently made significant territorial gains against Saudi-backed forces in Yemen and have struck several Saudi military and energy facilities with missiles and drones.

On Monday, Turkey and Pakistan, the third member of the trilateral defense pact, agreed to provide military support to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Accords, which was signed by the three countries earlier this year. 

A joint statement released by the Mecca Accords members on Monday explained, “The Committee decided to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defense commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom, in accordance with the approved arrangements and the national legislation of the Parties, thereby enhancing readiness, military integration, and the collective capacity to confront and counter threats.”

The statement was released following an emergency meeting of the alliance to discuss the situation in Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh has reached out to international partners for support. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested that President Donald Trump order direct attacks on Ansar Allah positions. Trump has so far limited US involvement to intelligence sharing, target identification, and planning for the offensive. 

Saudi Arabia has also asked China and Pakistan to place pressure on Iran to rein in Ansar Allah. According to three Iranian sources speaking with Reuters, Beijing privately asked Tehran to rein in Ansar Allah after receiving a request from Riyadh.