Pakistan has deployed around 8,000 troops, a full squadron of fighter jets, and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran, according to a Reuters report. The deployment, carried out under a secret bilateral defense agreement signed last year, includes 16 JF-17 fighter jets jointly developed with China, two drone squadrons, and Chinese-made HQ-9 air defense systems. Pakistani military personnel are operating the equipment, while Saudi Arabia is financing the operation.

Sources cited by Reuters said the current deployment could expand, as the agreement allows up to 80,000 Pakistani troops to be stationed in Saudi Arabia if needed. The deployed forces are primarily tasked with training and advisory roles, though Pakistan already had combat-ready troops in the kingdom under previous arrangements. The pact also includes provisions for deploying Pakistani naval vessels, though their current status remains unconfirmed.

The report added that Pakistan’s move marks a shift from symbolic support to a tangible military presence, following earlier tensions when Iranian attacks damaged Saudi energy infrastructure and killed a Saudi citizen.