Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embrace each other on the day they sign a defense agreement, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. Saudi Press Agency/Reuters Dubai/Islamabad Reuters —

Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a formal mutual defense pact on Wednesday, in a move that significantly strengthens a decades-long security partnership amid heightened regional tensions.

The enhanced defense ties come as Gulf Arab states grow increasingly wary about the reliability of the United States as their longstanding security guarantor. Israel’s attack on Qatar last week heightened those concerns.

“This agreement is a culmination of years of discussions. This is not a response to specific countries or specific events but

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