Pakistan has in recent weeks deployed approximately 8,000 troops, a squadron of 16 JF-17 fighters and other aircraft, and a Chinese HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system to Saudi Arabia under the countries' September 2025 mutual defense agreement, Reuters reported on May 18, citing three "security officials" and two "government sources." One of the government sources added that the pact enables Pakistan to send up to 80,000 troops to help Saudi forces secure the kingdom's borders.

All five unnamed sources told Reuters the Pakistani materiel has been financed by Saudi Arabia and operated by Pakistani personnel, while two of the security officials said the personnel are primarily in the kingdom in an advisory and training capacity. Some of the officials also said Pakistan had deployed two squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles to Saudi Arabia, and that the countries' agreement "involved the deployment of Pakistani warships" — though neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia has thus far confirmed these or any other details. Pakistan's defense minister has previously implied that Islamabad's pact with Saudi Arabia extends Pakistan's nuclear umbrella to the country.