In a significant move that signals a shift in the regional security landscape, Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have elevated their longstanding alliance with a new defense agreement that pledges mutual military protection.

The pact, announced on Wednesday, formalizes a commitment that an attack on either nation will be considered "an aggression against both," according to a statement from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

"The agreement... aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression," the SPA statement said, underscoring the pact's focus on enhanced military collaboration and shared security.

The strengthening of ties between Riyadh and Islamabad comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf following Israel's recent military strike on Qatar. The incident has amplified existing concerns among Gulf Arab monarchies about the reliability of the United States as their primary security guarantor, prompting a push for more independent and regional defense partnerships.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share a deep, decades-long security relationship, historically rooted in oil-rich Riyadh providing economic support to Islamabad in exchange for military cooperation. Pakistan has long stationed troops in the Kingdom and has provided critical defense support.