Pakistan Turkey Pledge Troops as Yemen Saudi Arabia Launch Houthi Counteroffensive

Pakistan and Turkey have pledged to send troops to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact as Yemen and its Saudi allies launch a major counteroffensive against the Houthi rebels. The Yemeni military reported over 1,000 strikes and began an offensive against the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, while the Saudi-led coalition conducted 100 airstrikes. The goal is to retake all Houthi-controlled territory, which includes most of Yemen's population and has been under Houthi control for over a decade.

The Houthis, backed by Iran, have seized significant coastal areas along the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for global shipping. They have also been attacking Saudi Arabia and declared a maritime blockade on its ships. Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey held an emergency meeting in Riyadh to discuss the recent strikes and reaffirmed their commitment to defend Saudi Arabia's security.

Houthi attacks have targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and tankers in the Red Sea, disrupting key export routes. Saudi Aramco's CEO, Amin Nasser, warned that global oil stockpiles are 'scarily thin' due to the ongoing Middle East war, which has already driven up crude prices. The Houthis also warned that Saudi airspace is unsafe for civilian flights, as it will be a theater of operations for their armed forces.

The Saudi-led coalition and Yemeni forces announced a 'strategic offensive' against Sanaa and other Houthi strongholds. However, the Houthis have continued to advance, encircling the city of Taiz and cutting off supply routes. The conflict has displaced over 184,000 people and has become the most active front in the broader Middle East war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.