Reports: US and Israel weigh renewed strikes on Iran

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, said Islamabad and Riyadh had completed ratification procedures for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on 7 August by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkey is still completing its domestic approval process. The pact provides for collective defense in the event of an external armed attack, with the nature and level of assistance to be determined by the circumstances; Islamabad has called it defensive and consistent with the UN Charter.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued warnings this week over potential danger in southwestern areas including Abha and Khamis Mushait, then announced they had passed without disclosing the nature of the danger. The alerts came amid Houthi missile and drone attacks on the kingdom. On 21 October, Reuters reported that Riyadh’s allies were providing mainly defensive support as the kingdom sought to protect its infrastructure.

Israel’s military announced large-scale exercises in the north and central regions on Sunday and Monday, rehearsing surprise attacks and air and land infiltrations with the air force and units from the Northern and Central Commands. The drills come as Washington and Tel Aviv reportedly consider renewed military action against Iran. A report citing US officials said the American and Israeli militaries had developed plans for renewed strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November, with potential targets including Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities and missile and drone capabilities. Trump said on Friday that the US might conduct another military operation as the conflict approached its eighth month.