Pakistan has dispatched a squadron of fighter jets, air defense systems, and roughly 8,000 troops to Saudi Arabia as part of a mutual defense agreement amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to a Reuters report from Monday.
“This deployment, revealed for the first time in detail, was confirmed by several security and government officials who noted that it comprises a force with considerable combat capabilities meant to bolster the Saudi military in case of further aggressions against Saudi Arabia,” Reuters noted.
With Iran involved, this, well, it seems like a tricky situation. There hasn’t been any overwhelming response from the Pakistani military despite Saudi Arabia’s interception of Iranian drones. On Monday, three additional Iranian drones appeared, following an earlier suspected drone strike by Iran on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense has, as with previous Iranian assaults, promised to “take necessary operational measures to safeguard sovereignty and security,” but so far, there hasn’t been any significant action taken against Iran. It’s unclear if Pakistan’s military had a hand in bringing down the Iranian drones recently.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defense agreement in September 2025, shortly after Israel’s unexpected airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar. While the agreement didn’t name Israel directly, many analysts think it was a strategic move to dissuade Israel from conducting similar operations in Saudi or Pakistani areas, or to caution the United States against backing Israeli actions.
There was a bit of murkiness regarding the notion of a nuclear-capable Pakistan possibly extending its nuclear “umbrella” to Saudi Arabia in 2025, with hints dropped by Saudi officials. In theory, there might have been opportunities for Pakistan to enter into similar arrangements with other Middle Eastern nations, ensuring their nuclear protection.
The exact details of the defense pact haven’t been made fully public, but Pakistani and Saudi officials assert that it involves commitments for mutual defense.
As reported by Reuters on Monday, Pakistan has upheld its negotiation commitments by sending “approximately 16 aircraft, predominantly JF-17 fighter jets developed with China,” to Saudi Arabia in early April. This was accompanied by “two squadrons of unmanned aircraft,” the HQ-9 air defense system from China, and “around 8,000 troops, with a possibility of sending more if needed.”
An anonymous security source mentioned that there were already “thousands of Pakistani troops in combat roles” stationed in Saudi Arabia before this heightened deployment, thanks to a security agreement reached prior to September 2025. This number could potentially exceed 80,000 if Saudi Arabia chooses to activate the full extent of the agreement.
Reports suggest that the defense deal might also involve sending Pakistani warships, although Reuters hasn’t specified whether any have yet been deployed to Saudi Arabia.
Recently, it was reported that Saudi warplanes targeted Iranian-backed militias in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have allegedly executed “covert operations” inside Iran, though specific targets remain unnamed.
Pakistan’s troop deployment could enhance Saudi Arabia’s capacity for counteraction against Iran. It seems possible that Riyadh is attempting to send a message to Tehran, urging a reduction, if not a complete halt, to what are perceived as unreasonable assaults on Saudi territory.
