Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate defence pact, Pakistan says

Live updates

1. 4d ago

   Pakistan Weighs Security Pact Activation After Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

   Pakistan has indicated that recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate a regional defence pact, though it later clarified that no specific military response has been discussed under the Mecca pact. The attacks wounded 73 people and ignited fires at Saudi oil facilities, leading Riyadh to halt energy sites near Yemen. While Pakistan has warned Iran to restrain the Houthis, it maintains there are no plans to expand the defensive alliance involving Turkey and Saudi Arabia. India has condemned the strikes, citing threats to the freedom of navigation.

   Why it matters

   The Mecca pact is a security alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. This agreement creates a mutual defence framework often compared to a Muslim version of NATO. Escalating clashes in Yemen now test the credibility and operational triggers of this pact.

   What is confirmed

   • Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia wounded 73 people and caused fires at oil facilities.
   • Saudi Arabia halted operations at energy sites located near Yemen following the attacks.
   • Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are members of a defensive security alliance.
   • India condemned the Houthi strikes on Saudi oil installations.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Saudi Arabia launched 10 strikes on Yemen's Taiz province according to Houthi media.
   • Pakistan warned Iran to rein in the Houthis as Riyadh strikes back.

   What to watch next

   • Official confirmation of whether the Mecca pact's mutual defence clauses are formally triggered
   • Further diplomatic communications between Pakistan and Iran regarding Houthi activity
   • Saudi Arabia's decision on when to resume operations at halted energy sites
   Sources used for this update (24)

   1. CNN — Scores wounded as Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi Arabia, military says
   2. Bloomberg.com — Saudi Arabia Says Energy Sites Near Yemen Halted After Attacks
   3. AP News — Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia ignite fires at oil facilities and wound 73 people, officials say
   4. Bloomberg.com — Pakistan Pledges to Honor Security Pact If Saudi Arabia Attacked
   5. Al Jazeera — Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate defence pact, Pakistan says
   6. Reuters — EXCLUSIVE: Pakistan warns Iran to rein in Houthis as Riyadh strikes back
   7. The New York Times — Yemen Tilts Toward Full-Scale War as Saudi-Houthi Clashes Escalate
   8. Reuters — Saudi says no danger after Khamis Mushait alert amid clashes with Houthis
   9. Bloomberg.com — How Yemen’s Houthis Are Raising the Stakes in the Iran War
   10. Al Jazeera — Fighting escalates in Yemen; Houthi attacks trigger alerts in Saudi Arabia
   11. Al Jazeera — The Houthis are testing the limits of Saudi restraint
   12. The Times of Israel — Houthi media says Saudi Arabia launched 10 strikes on Yemen’s Taiz province
   confidence 90%