Pakistan Extends Nuclear Umbrella to Saudi Arabia

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif announced that the nation's nuclear program would be available to Saudi Arabia under a newly signed defense pact. This agreement, which declares an attack on one country as an attack on both, marks the first explicit acknowledgment of Pakistan extending its nuclear deterrent to Saudi Arabia. The move is seen as a signal to Israel, especially following an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, which heightened security concerns among Gulf Arab nations. While Pakistan emphasizes the defensive nature of the pact and its adherence to nuclear regulations, Israel has not commented. The agreement deepens decades-old military ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and could potentially be extended to other Gulf nations.