Pakistan Issues Warning to Iran Over Houthi Support
Pakistan's threats to target Houthi strongholds in Yemen may be less about preparing for war and more about sending a warning to Iran, which has been supporting the extremist Shia group. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has been escalating since Tuesday, with both sides trading strikes.
Riyadh retaliated against Houthi attacks on a Saudi airbase and oil infrastructure by launching 54 airstrikes over 12 hours against strongholds in Yemen on Wednesday. However, these strikes were met with further retaliation from the Houthis using ballistic missiles and drones to attack southern Saudi cities.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif warned that if there was a 'spillover' of the conflict into Saudi territory, Pakistan would honour its collective defence commitments under the Mecca Pact. However, sources suggest this may be a bluff aimed at warning Iran rather than preparing for war.
Pakistan has been seeking to balance ties between Tehran and Riyadh for years, but recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have prompted Islamabad to issue a warning to Iran to rein in its support for the group. A senior regional diplomat told Reuters that Pakistan had conveyed this message over the past 24 hours, urging Iran to use its influence to halt Houthi attacks.