Pakistan has extended its informal defense agreement with Saudi Arabia to cover all of the kingdom, including the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, according to a statement shared on X by user @MerruX at 7:49 PM UTC on September 17th, 2025. This expansion of the pact signifies a deepened security commitment between the two nations. The prior agreement, reported by the Financial Times, established a strategic mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This latest development, occurring within a 14-minute reporting window from 7:49 PM to 8:03 PM UTC, elaborates on the scope of that alliance, indicating a broader commitment to Saudi Arabian security. This strategic alignment follows closely on the heels of other significant regional developments, including Israeli forces reporting Hezbollah activity in Lebanon and the reported deaths of two Hezbollah leaders in an Israeli raid in Baalbek. Lebanese media also indicated the suspension of Hezbollah's security movement cards. Saudi Arabia's move to broaden its security partnerships beyond traditional allies, as first reported earlier today, is interpreted as a message to the United States and Israel regarding the kingdom's evolving security strategy.
