Pakistan Warns Houthi Attacks Could Activate Defense Pact

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate the Makkah Defence Alliance, a collective defense pact involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye. The remarks came after Houthi missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi cities and economic infrastructure, injuring at least 73 people. Asif stated that aggression against a member state or any spillover of the conflict in Yemen into Saudi territory would trigger the pact's collective defense provisions. He emphasized that the agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, is defensive in nature and does not authorize the three member countries to launch attacks against another state on their own initiative. "There should be no doubt about this. We are bound by the terms and conditions of this pact and, God willing, we will honor them in case there is a need," Asif asserted. He also noted that he was unaware of any direct contact between Islamabad and Riyadh following the recent attacks. While expressing hope for de-escalation, Asif cautioned the Houthis against attempting to "export their internal matters," warning that such actions would make the pact's clauses operative.