'Attempts To Drag Saudi Arabia Into Conflict': Pakistan Warns Iran-Backed Houthis, Threatens Action If Ships Attacked

Published 22 July 2026 · world

'Attempts To Drag Saudi Arabia Into Conflict': Pakistan Warns Iran-Backed Houthis, Threatens Action If Ships Attacked Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 17:49 IST

'Attempts To Drag Saudi Arabia Into Conflict': Pakistan Warns Iran-Backed Houthis, Threatens Action If Ships Attacked Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 17:49 IST Pakistan, which has a defence pact with the Saudis, has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi vessels going through Bab el Mandeb. It raises the question: could Islamabad join the war? Rapid Read Pakistan, a crucial ally of the Saudis, has condemned the attacks of Houthis on ships crossing the Bab el Mandeb. (Image source: Reuters) Pakistan on Wednesday “unequivocally" condemned recent threats by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, their Foreign Office said in a statement posted on X. The statement came after Yemen’s Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, announced an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia. This has opened a new front in the Middle East conflict. If enforced, the blockade could cut access to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports. These ports are key for oil exports, especially as renewed US-Iran fighting limits passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear how the Houthis would enforce such a blockade. “Threats against commercial shipping and trading with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are unacceptable and violate established principles of international law," the FO said, noting the “continued threats" by Houthis. Islamabad said it was “particularly concerned by reports of threats directed against vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade" with Saudi Arabia. “Such actions threaten regional security, undermine freedom of navigation, challenge the rules-based maritime order and jeopardise uninterrupted flow of global commerce," the FO said. It added that “any hostile act against Pakistani-flagged vessels or Pakistani maritime interests will be regarded as a grave threat to Pakistan’s national security and sovereign interests".

The FO warned that Pakistan reserved its right to “take all necessary measures, including lawful use of force, in the exercise of self-defence to protect its maritime assets and national interests", in line with international law. Pakistan also said it was “deeply concerned over attempts to drag" Saudi Arabia into the Middle East conflict, as fighting continues between the United States and Iran. Islamabad reiterated its “unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". The Houthis’ announcement on Monday came after they and Saudi Arabia traded fire last week for the first time in years. This has put a 2022 truce at risk. The Saudi-Pakistan Bonhomie After Houthi fired missiles at Saudi Arabia on July 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the “blatant attacks". Islamabad also backed Riyadh at an emergency UN Security Council briefing on Yemen. It called for dialogue and diplomacy. Under a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement" signed in September 2025, both countries treat any attack on one as an attack on both. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have had close defence ties for decades. This cooperation remains key to Islamabad’s regional policy. Pakistan had invoked the defence pact in early March to help deter heavier Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia. With the current rise in hostilities between Riyadh and the Houthi rebels in control of Sana’a, the question of whether Pakistan could get involved in the war West Asia remains open. The picture gets further complicated since Pakistan has also served as a mediator between the US and Iran during the ongoing war.