PAKISTAN MAY LAUNCH AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHIS AT SAUDI REQUEST: REPORT

Wed 09 September 2026:

Possible Military Action Would Mark Major Test for Mecca Defense Pact

Pakistan is likely to carry out airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen at Saudi Arabia’s request, Türkiye Today reported, citing Pakistani sources. One source said the attacks could take place soon and would be publicly announced shortly afterward.

A Pakistani source said one of the military objectives could be to drive the Houthis from Saadah and other areas. However, no final decision has been made on whether to attack the group.

The possibility of Pakistani intervention comes as the Houthis have intensified pressure on Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, in recent weeks.

Houthi Attacks Escalate

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and tankers since July, when a 2022 truce between the two sides collapsed.

The group has also declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and begun attacking Saudi ships, putting further pressure on the kingdom’s exports, which were already affected by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday, the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, a Yemeni Zaydi Shia group, struck several Saudi cities and energy facilities, including locations in Abha, Jazan, Najran and Khamis Mushait. The attacks reportedly injured 73 people and disrupted operations at major energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia responded with a series of strikes in Yemen on Tuesday. Houthi-affiliated media reported deaths in Al Jawf following the attacks, although Riyadh has not publicly confirmed the strikes or their scale.

As the Saudi-Houthi conflict enters a more volatile phase, attention is turning to whether Pakistan will take direct military action against the Houthis inside Yemen.

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Mecca Pact Faces First Major Test

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Wednesday that any attack on Saudi Arabia could activate the Mecca pact, warning that aggression against one member would be regarded as an attack on all signatories.

“We are bound by the terms and conditions of this pact and, God willing, we will honor them in case there is a need,” he stated.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed earlier this month, commits Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to mutual defence if any of them comes under attack.

The agreement brings together Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army, Pakistan, the Islamic world’s only nuclear-armed state, and Saudi Arabia, the leading Gulf power with vast financial resources.

Until now, the key question has been whether Islamabad would be prepared to respond militarily if Saudi Arabia came under attack. That possibility is now becoming more concrete.

Pakistani sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Islamabad could participate in airstrikes if Riyadh formally requested a military response under the defence agreement. Such a move would represent a significant shift in Pakistan’s regional security policy.

Türkiye condemns Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia

Türkiye on Tuesday strongly condemned recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthis targeting Saudi Arabia, saying they endanger civilians and escalate regional tensions.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the recent attacks carried out by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia, which disregard the safety of civilians and escalate tensions in the region,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Ankara reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The ministry said the attacks also undermine diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict in Yemen through a lasting political solution.

“We call on the Houthis to cease their aggressive actions immediately,” it added.

From Deterrence to Direct Military Action

Although the Mecca pact formalised decades of strategic cooperation, its emphasis has so far been on “collective deterrence” rather than creating an offensive alliance or geopolitical military bloc.

However, the evolving conflict could push the agreement toward a broader role.

Direct participation in Saudi airstrikes would be a major escalation, potentially becoming the first significant military application of the pact and establishing a precedent for how the newly formed alliance operates in practice.

Pakistan already has military personnel and air-defence capabilities deployed in Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported in August that Islamabad had sent around 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones and an air-defence system to the kingdom.

The deployment offered Pakistan a relatively straightforward way to demonstrate its commitment to the Mecca agreement without launching its own campaign in Yemen.

It could also help reinforce Saudi airspace, protect strategic installations, provide intelligence and surveillance, or assist in intercepting incoming missiles and drones.

Such measures would allow Pakistan to defend Saudi territory while avoiding the far more politically sensitive decision of conducting airstrikes against Houthi positions.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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