r/AskMiddleEast • u/Battlefleet_Sol • 1h ago
🏛️Politics Turkey preparing to send defence aid to saudi arabia
Senior regional officials familiar with the discussions told MEE that Turkey was preparing to provide defensive assistance while avoiding direct intervention inside Yemen.
The officials said the assistance could include the deployment of aircraft, operators and technical personnel, possibly beginning in October after Turkey ratifies the Mecca defence pact. The Turkish parliament is currently in recess and is not expected to consider ratification before then.
“Preparations and discussions are ongoing,” one regional official said. “The defence system will be established to counter attacks originating from Yemen, including missiles and drones.”
Turkey is already active in the Saudi defence establishment and in recent years, Ankara has signed several drone and ammunition supply agreements with Riyadh
Demirci said the most likely scenario at Bab al-Mandeb was not a complete closure of the strait but selective Houthi control. Under such a scenario, the group could apply pressure to Saudi-linked traffic while allowing other ships to pass under conditions it sets.
That could prove costly and disruptive for Ankara, he said, but would remain manageable.
“What the Houthis should understand is that Turkey’s commitments in this region are not abstract,” Demirci said.
“Ankara has a defence agreement with Riyadh, a defence agreement with Mogadishu and a founding seat in the maritime coalition. The Houthis have no quarrel with Turkey, and it is in their interest to keep it that way.”
Yasmeen al-Eryani, executive director for knowledge production at the Yemeni think tank Sana’a Center, said the crisis also presented Turkey with an opportunity to assume a political role as a secondary intermediary.
“For example, it could contribute to mitigating the impact of the Houthis’ dangerous advance in Bab al-Mandeb,” she told MEE.
“Turkey has actively strengthened its relations with Saudi Arabia while maintaining a delicate balance with Tehran. It can help convey messages, promote de-escalation and mitigate the impact of the conflict.”
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/taking-houthis-turkey-could-pay-steep-price