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Saudi Defense Minister Arrives in Istanbul to Head Kingdom’s Delegation at 1st Meeting of Makkah Agreement Committee

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Türkiye's Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Pakistan's Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Saudi Arabia's Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili pose before the first committee meeting under the joint defense accord, the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement", in Istanbul, Türkiye, August 31, 2026. (Reuters)r
Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Türkiye's Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Pakistan's Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Saudi Arabia's Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili pose before the first committee meeting under the joint defense accord, the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement", in Istanbul, Türkiye, August 31, 2026. (Reuters)r
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Saudi Defense Minister Arrives in Istanbul to Head Kingdom’s Delegation at 1st Meeting of Makkah Agreement Committee

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Türkiye's Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Pakistan's Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Saudi Arabia's Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili pose before the first committee meeting under the joint defense accord, the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement", in Istanbul, Türkiye, August 31, 2026. (Reuters)r
Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Türkiye's Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Pakistan's Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Saudi Arabia's Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili pose before the first committee meeting under the joint defense accord, the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement", in Istanbul, Türkiye, August 31, 2026. (Reuters)r

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz arrived in the Turkish city of Istanbul to head the Kingdom’s delegation at the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee, established under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement.

The ministers of defense and foreign affairs, commanders of the armed forces and senior Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials are taking part in the meeting to discuss international security and bolstering cooperation and defense integration between their countries.

The meeting is scheduled to discuss developing defense capabilities, boosting operational integration among the armed forces, and cooperating in defense industries, including joint production and research and development, and strengthening joint efforts to combat terrorism.

The meeting will discuss the establishment of a framework for the general secretariat and its associated mechanisms, as well as defining areas of joint work and preparing a roadmap for future steps within the framework of the agreement.

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in Makkah on August 7, in the presence of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

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Gulf

New Attack Targets Riyadh Airport; Coalition Intercepts Two Missiles, a Drone

This image from CCTV video released by Saudi Arabia's Media Ministry shows passengers taking cover as flames and smoke fill part of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during what authorities described as a strike at the airport on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Saudi Media Ministry via AP)
This image from CCTV video released by Saudi Arabia's Media Ministry shows passengers taking cover as flames and smoke fill part of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during what authorities described as a strike at the airport on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Saudi Media Ministry via AP)
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New Attack Targets Riyadh Airport; Coalition Intercepts Two Missiles, a Drone

This image from CCTV video released by Saudi Arabia's Media Ministry shows passengers taking cover as flames and smoke fill part of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during what authorities described as a strike at the airport on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Saudi Media Ministry via AP)
This image from CCTV video released by Saudi Arabia's Media Ministry shows passengers taking cover as flames and smoke fill part of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during what authorities described as a strike at the airport on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (Saudi Media Ministry via AP)

Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia continued Monday with a projectile striking Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport, while air defenses intercepted another cruise missile near the airport, Major General Turki Al-Malki, spokesman for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said.

Al-Malki added that a ballistic missile targeting Khamis Mushait was intercepted and destroyed, while a drone was intercepted in the Eastern Province.

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation extended the suspension of operations at Riyadh’s airport to verify facility safety and operational readiness.

Earlier it said one resident was killed and 11 others injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and civilian infrastructure have drawn widespread Arab and international condemnation, along with expressions of solidarity with the kingdom.

Gulf

King Khalid Int’l Airport, One of the Region’s Key Global Aviation Hubs

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (SPA)
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (SPA)
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King Khalid Int’l Airport, One of the Region’s Key Global Aviation Hubs

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (SPA)
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (SPA)

King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, is one of the world’s major aviation hubs and a key air transport gateway for Saudi Arabia and the wider region. Since opening four decades ago, it has reflected the kingdom’s urban and economic development.

Opened in 1983, the airport has played a central role in keeping pace with Riyadh’s rapid growth and meeting rising domestic and international travel demand. It serves as an international gateway to the country and connects the capital with the rest of the world.

The airport is located about 35 km north of central Riyadh and covers an area of nearly 225 square km. Its facilities include five main passenger terminals offering a wide range of services, as well as a royal terminal and two private aviation terminals.

To ensure smooth operations, the airport has 40 passenger boarding bridges and parking facilities with capacity for more than 11,600 vehicles.

The airport operates with a central control tower and two parallel runways, each measuring 4,260 meters (13,980 feet), enabling it to accommodate various types of aircraft and maintain round-the-clock operations.

Extensive operations

King Khalid International Airport is a major hub for an extensive air transport network, with more than 64 international and domestic airlines connecting Riyadh to over 121 destinations worldwide.

The scale of its operations reflects heavy air traffic, with more than 299,000 flights annually and over 40 million passengers served each year.

As part of efforts to improve operational efficiency and upgrade the airport’s infrastructure, Riyadh Airports Company took over the management and operation of the airport. The company was established in 2016 as part of Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector privatization program.

The company is working to operate, modernize and expand existing facilities, while adding new services and amenities to improve the passenger experience and meet the Saudi capital’s future needs.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talks with Bahraini Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talks with Bahraini Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, who conveyed his condolences over the deaths resulting from Houthi attacks.

Al-Zayani conveyed Bahrain's sincere condolences to Saudi Arabia over the deaths of citizens and residents in a terrorist attack by the Houthi militia on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

He affirmed Bahrain's full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its complete support for all measures the Kingdom takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protect its citizens and residents.

The two ministers also discussed regional developments and their brotherly countries' efforts to maintain the region's security and stability.