Pakistan Deploys Troops and Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions

Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the US-Israeli-Iranian war, Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a full fighter squadron and state-of-the-art air defence systems to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact. Reuters reports that three security officials and two government sources have also confirmed this. The sources called it a "significant combat-capable force." However, there has been no official comment from Pakistan's foreign ministry or Saudi Arabia's official media office. Fighter aircraft and air defence systems deployed - media sources have quoted Pakistan as deploying nearly a full squadron of 16 aircraft to Saudi Arabia. These include a Chinese-developed JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, which arrived in April, and two Saudi-made HQ drones.