Turkey turned away from its ally after the first attack

Turkey condemned the massive drone attack on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure but did not activate the collective defense mechanism provided by the trilateral defense agreement signed just a month earlier. The attack, which occurred on September 10, struck the East-West oil pipeline. The Turkish Foreign Ministry's statement, issued on September 12, did not mention the pact's obligations.

Turkey faced the first test of its new defense alliance with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. A massive drone attack, launched from Iraqi territory, struck the Saudi East-West oil pipeline on the morning of September 10. Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry reported casualties and temporarily halted pipeline operations. Iraqi authorities launched an investigation, dismissed a commander in Maysan province, and tightened border measures with Iran. Turkey issued a statement on September 12, condemning the attack and expressing support for Saudi sovereignty, but did not mention the trilateral defense pact signed on August 7 in Mecca. The key principle of the agreement stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Ankara's cautious response demonstrates the gap between the political principle of collective defense and its application in a real crisis. The author of the piece is Tomer Adoni.

Turkey turned away from its ally after the first attack