Will Pakistan Defend Saudi Arabia If Houthis Attack? Here's What The Defence Pact Says
Will Pakistan Defend Saudi Arabia If Houthis Attack? Here's What The Defence Pact Says Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 23:17 IST If the
Will Pakistan Defend Saudi Arabia If Houthis Attack? Here's What The Defence Pact Says Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 23:17 IST If the Houthis follow through on their threat, will Pakistan be obliged to step in? Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2025 and has since reinforced the Kingdom with troops, fighter jets and air-defence systems. But does the pact require Islamabad to intervene if Houthis attack? (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) On Monday, after a Mahan Air flight from Iran was prevented from landing at Sanaa airport following strikes by Yemen’s internationally recognised government and its armed forces, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree issued a blunt warning: Saudi Arabia had ended the de-escalation phase and the move “will not go unanswered or unpunished." The warning has revived fears of renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia after years of relative calm. It has also brought renewed attention to Pakistan, which signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia last year and has since significantly expanded its military deployment in the Kingdom. If the Houthis follow through on their threat, will Pakistan be obliged to step in? Why Are The Houthis Threatening Saudi Arabia? For more than a decade, aircraft entering Yemeni airspace have required prior clearance from the Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The Houthis appeared to challenge that arrangement by organising direct flights between Iran and Sanaa, angering both the Yemeni government and Riyadh. The government briefly ordered all airports in the country shut on Monday after saying it wanted to prevent the Iranian aircraft from landing in Sanaa. Officials said they had unsuccessfully tried to persuade a Houthi delegation returning from Tehran following the funeral of Iran’s late supreme leader to travel on a Yemenia flight instead.
The latest escalation threatens to unravel a truce that has largely held since 2022 despite formally expiring. It also comes amid heightened regional tensions following recent US-Iran exchanges that have disrupted Gulf security and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, they have fought Yemen’s internationally recognised government in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Saudi Arabia entered the war in 2015, leading a coalition that has carried out air strikes against Houthi targets in support of the Yemeni government. Why Does Pakistan Matter? Only earlier this year, Pakistan deployed around 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter aircraft and an air-defence system to Saudi Arabia under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed in 2025. The deployment represents a substantial combat-capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia if the Kingdom comes under renewed attack. Pakistan dispatched a squadron of around 16 JF-17 fighter aircraft, jointly developed with China, along with two squadrons of drones and a Chinese HQ-9 air-defence system. The deployment also includes about 8,000 troops, with a commitment to reinforce the contingent if required. What Does The Defence Pact Actually Say? The complete text of the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement has not been made public. However, both governments have said the agreement commits each country to come to the other’s defence if attacked. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also said in an interview with a Pakistani broadcaster following the signing of the agreement that Pakistan’s nuclear programme would be available to Saudi Arabia if required, remarks widely interpreted as suggesting the Kingdom now falls under Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella.
The BriefWire