Israel Seeks US Strikes in Syria Amid Erdogan's Regional Moves and New Saudi-Turk-Pakistan Defense Pact

In recent weeks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been consolidating his control in Syria with the consent of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump. Against this backdrop, Israel requested the United States to carry out another military strike in Syria. However, unlike previous occasions, Trump blocked the attack, signaling a further deterioration in US-Israel relations but also highlighting the strengthening ties between Trump and Erdogan.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a new tripartite defense alliance in Mecca aimed at enhancing regional deterrence and security amid rising tensions with Iran. The pact includes a clause stating that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all, potentially opening up three new fronts for Israel. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan indicated that Egypt might join the alliance after resolving some technical issues. He also noted that the alliance will establish a ministerial committee and a general secretariat based in Riyadh, similar to NATO's structure.

This announcement comes amid Iranian threats dismissing the alliance's ability to protect Riyadh. Mahmoud Nabavian, a member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, tweeted that Saudi reliance on the US will not bring security. Concurrently, tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels in Yemen are escalating, with the Yemeni army launching a large-scale operation against the group, primarily around the capital, Sanaa.