Will Pakistan intervene amid Houthi attacks on Saudi ships?
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are strategic defense partners, but experts say there are limits to how far Islamabad can go in opposing Iran-backed Houthis. Pakistan
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are strategic defense partners, but experts say there are limits to how far Islamabad can go in opposing Iran-backed Houthis. Pakistan condemned attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militia last week as the conflict in the Middle East threatens to expand. In a statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry warned that any Houthi threat to Pakistani maritime interests in the Red Sea could be met with the "lawful use of force." Pakistan enjoys a trade and security relationship with Saudi Arabia, and Pakistani-flagged vessels frequent Saudi ports in the Red Sea. Last September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement that contains a "collective security" clause, meaning attack on one country is considered an attack on both. After the Houthis launched missiles at southern Saudi Arabia last week, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry expressed its "unwavering commitment" to the security pact. At the same time, Pakistan also has ties with Iran, and has been a key mediator between Tehran and Washington to end the Iran war. Any military act against the Iran-backed Houthis could place Islamabad in one of the most complicated foreign policy situations it has faced in years. Houthis claim attacks on Saudi tankers in Red Sea To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pakistan's tightrope between Saudis and Iran Historically, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have long shared close military and strategic relations.
Pakistani military generals and advisers have aided the Kingdom for decades. Farea Al-Muslimi, a Yemen expert at London-based think tank Chatham House, told DW that Pakistani troops are already inside Yemen in support of the Saudis, "carrying out security and training-related duties alongside Saudi forces." A Pakistani official DW spoke to categorically denied this claim. Nevertheless, if Houthi attacks on oil tankers and commercial shipping escalate in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia could turn to Pakistan for help. "Pakistan is one of Riyadh's closest defense partners, and their mutual defense pact makes such a request plausible. Having also come under Iranian attack, Saudi Arabia may increasingly look to Islamabad for military assistance if it feels under growing security pressure," Michael Kugelman, senior fellow at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told DW. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embrace after signing a defense agreement last September Image: Saudi Press Agency/REUTERS However, Pakistan's improving ties with Iran and its mediation to end the US-Iran conflict could complicate any Pakistani military role on Saudi Arabia's behalf. "Pakistan and Iran have a complicated relationship based on the calculation of tactical gains by either side. In any case, Pakistan has warned Iran several times that in case of conflict it will support Saudi Arabia," Ayesha Siddiqa, a Pakistani military analyst and senior fellow at King's College London, told DW. After a period of unprecedented tensions in 2024, when Iran and Pakistan exchanged cross-border missile strikes, the neighbors have since rebuilt diplomatic relations and strengthened cooperation against militant groups operating along their shared border.
The BriefWire