Pakistan deploys 8,000 troops and 16 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

Five security and government sources confirmed Pakistan's deployment of a large military force in Saudi Arabia, including about 8,000 troops and a full squadron of fighter jets, in addition to advanced air defense systems. This deployment is a practical embodiment of the mutual defense agreement signed between the two countries last year. The deployed force includes a squadron of 16 fighter jets, mostly JF-17s manufactured in cooperation with China, which have arrived in the Kingdom in early April. It also includes two squadrons of drones and China's HQ-9 air defense system, security sources said. The secret defense agreement provides, according to a government source familiar with its text, for the possibility of deploying up to 80,000 Pakistani troops in the kingdom to help secure the border alongside Saudi forces. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif had previously hinted that the agreement puts Saudi Arabia under the nuclear umbrella The sources explained that the military equipment is operated by Pakistani personnel and funded by Saudi Arabia, noting that this deployment is in addition to the thousands of Pakistani soldiers already stationed in the Kingdom under previous agreements. The development comes amid Islamabad's role as a key mediator in regional tensions, contributing to a ceasefire and hosting rounds of diplomatic talks. The Pakistani military, along with the Saudi government's media office, would not comment on this military deployment. The military ties between the two countries are historically well established, with Pakistan providing military support to Saudi Arabia that included training and advisory deployment, while Riyadh supported Islamabad financially during periods of economic crisis.