The Red Sea corridor has once again become a flashpoint, as Yemeni Houthi fighters launched a series of missile and drone strikes that pierced Saudi Arabian airspace earlier this week. The attacks, which targeted both civilian and military installations near the holy city of Mecca, have revived concerns over the stability of a region already strained by the Iran‑U.S. rivalry.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters in Islamabad that the renewed Houthi aggression could activate the Makkah defence pact – a three‑way security arrangement linking Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. “If Saudi Arabia is attacked, the treaty obliges us to come to its aid,” Asif said, adding that Pakistan would be prepared to provide logistical, intelligence and, if required, combat support under the pact’s terms.
The minister also warned that Israel stands to gain from a protracted Iran‑U.S. confrontation, noting that a widened conflict could divert American attention away from Israeli‑Palestinian issues while emboldening Tehran’s regional allies. “A drawn‑out showdown between Tehran and Washington serves the interests of those who wish to see the status quo of the Middle East unsettled,” he remarked.
Asif called for robust diplomatic pressure from the international community to curb the escalation, urging regional powers to engage in constructive dialogue rather than retaliatory measures. He emphasized that any spill‑over of hostilities could have direct repercussions for Pakistan’s own security calculations, given its historic ties to both Riyadh and Ankara, and its need to balance relations with the United States and Iran.
The defence minister’s remarks come at a time when Islamabad is reassessing its defence commitments amid domestic debates over military spending and the strategic utility of overseas deployments. While the Makkah pact remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s Middle‑East policy, officials say any response would be calibrated to avoid dragging the country into a broader war, focusing instead on limited support that upholds the alliance’s defensive purpose.