Doha strike condemned as Saudi-Pakistan pact deepens security

Leaders from across the Arab and Muslim world met in Doha on Monday to condemn an Israeli airstrike on the Qatari capital last week and to weigh coordinated political and security responses, while days later Saudi Arabia and Pakistan formalised a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement that officials said would treat an attack on one as an attack on both. The developments underline a deepening regional backlash to the Sept. 9 strike, which targeted Hamas negotiators in Doha and raised fresh doubts about Gulf states reliance on US security guarantees.

The emergency Arab‑Islamic summit, convened by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, drew heads of state and senior officials from about 50 to 60 countries, including Qatar’s emir, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iran’s president and Turkey’s president. Delegates issued a forceful final communiqué denouncing the strike as a violation of sovereignty and calling for Israel to be held accountable under international law. Summit participants agreed to instruct the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Joint Defence Council to convene urgently to consider activating joint defence protocols, organizers said.