Islamabad warns that it will support Riyadh "as far as necessary" as tensions rise following a drone attack near Mecca
A Turkish diplomat noted that intelligence cooperation could prove more effective than a bombing campaign, a stance that reflects Ankara's caution regarding a possible escalation of the conflict.
Tensions increased after Saudi air defenses claimed to have shot down a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered the city's restricted airspace. The Houthis denied attempting to attack the sacred site.
Pakistan increased its support for Saudi Arabia and stated that it is willing to defend the kingdom ''as far as necessary'' in the face of a potential escalation of attacks by the Houthi terrorists from Yemen, after Saudi authorities reported the interception of a drone south of Mecca.
Islamabad's commitment comes within the framework of a recently signed defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which establishes mechanisms for joint response to aggression against any of the three countries. However, Pakistani authorities clarified that Riyadh has not yet requested new reinforcements or direct military intervention against the Houthis.
The military spokesperson for Pakistan, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that Islamabad is prepared to support Saudi Arabia both diplomatically and physically. ''We will go to any lengths,'' he affirmed regarding the protection of Saudi territory and Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam.
Chaudhry explained that Pakistani troops are already deployed in Saudi Arabia to contribute to the security of the holy cities. An expansion of that presence, he indicated, will depend on the needs expressed by Saudi authorities and the population.
The Pakistani Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, also stated that the circumstances could justify the application of the defense pact. In statements to the media, he affirmed that if the conflict continues to escalate, Pakistan will support Saudi Arabia through practical and diplomatic actions.
Asif explained that the agreement includes a response from the other two countries when the territorial integrity of one of the members is violated. The minister also linked Islamabad's position to the protection of Mecca and Medina, an issue he described as a ''religious obligation'' for Pakistan.
The pact is still in the process of implementation. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are working on the mechanisms that will eventually allow them to coordinate their land, naval, and air forces. Ankara, however, indicated that it has not yet received a formal request for intervention from Riyadh.
The Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, described the alleged incident as ''unforgivable'' and asserted that his country stands ''shoulder to shoulder'' with Saudi Arabia. The statement represents a hardening of the position expressed by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry the previous week, when it stated that a direct military response against the Yemeni rebels was not being considered.
For its part, Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi denied any attack against Mecca and labeled the accusations as a ''horrible lie.'' The insurgent movement stated that it will continue its operations against military facilities and other targets linked to Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis also reported that Saudi Arabia carried out around 37 airstrikes in various areas of Yemen. According to the authorities of the terrorist group, the bombings resulted in five deaths, although these claims come from Houthi sources and were not independently verified.
In parallel, the rebels threatened to expand their operations within Saudi territory and identified the King Khalid and King Fahd air bases as possible targets. The escalation has already generated international repercussions: a nighttime attack on the King Fahd base reportedly caused damage to an Italian fighter jet, according to Italy's Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto.
The situation places Pakistan in the position of taking a more active role in Gulf security, while Saudi Arabia attempts to contain Houthi attacks without, for now, a formal request for joint military intervention. The development of the conflict and any new attack against Saudi territory will be decisive in determining to what extent Islamabad, Riyadh, and Ankara will implement their new defense agreement in practice.
