In a significant development, Pakistan has deployed fighter jets to Saudi Arabia under a joint defense pact between the two countries, as the region grapples with escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The National, citing Saudi officials, reported that a Pakistani military contingent has arrived in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
According to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense, the deployment—announced on Saturday—to King Abdulaziz Air Base includes fighter jets and support aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force.
It’s not clear yet what type of warplanes has Pakistan deployed to the strategic and oil-rich ally. Pakistan has a large fleet of Jf-17 thunder jets, which it produces domestically.
تُعلن #وزارة_الدفاع عن وصول قوة عسكرية من جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية إلى قاعدة الملك عبدالعزيز الجوية بالقطاع الشرقي ضمن اتفاقية الدفاع الإستراتيجي المشترك الموقعة بين البلدين الشقيقين.
وتتكون القوة الباكستانية من طائرات مقاتلة ومساندة تابعة للقوات الجوية الباكستانية، بهدف تعزيز… pic.twitter.com/IGpE79Pxcx
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) April 11, 2026
Saudi Arabia has recently faced a series of retaliatory strikes from Iran, which says it is responding to attacks by the United States and Israel, as well as countries supporting those operations.
The mutual defense pact, signed last year, commits both countries to assist each other in the event of external aggression.
The agreement is aimed at enhancing military coordination and strengthening the operational readiness of their armed forces.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
