Pakistan pledges full commitment to defense pact with Saudi Arabia

One person lost their life and two more sustained injuries due to debris from a drone launched by Houthi rebels in Saudi Arabia's Taif region, according to the Saudi Civil Defence. This marks the first reported fatality in the kingdom since Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis increased attacks on Saudi Arabia this month. The deceased was a Yemeni national, while the injured are a Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident, both in critical condition, as reported by a Civil Defence spokesperson to the Saudi Press Agency.

The debris caused damage to several buildings and vehicles in the area. The Houthis' intensification of attacks on Saudi Arabia, amidst a broader escalation involving Iran-aligned groups in the Middle East, has led to heightened alerts in southern and western cities. Notably, an attack allegedly carried out by Iran-aligned fighters in Iraq last week disrupted the flow of oil through Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, which has been the kingdom's primary export route for oil and gas since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia claimed to have intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah, which violated a "red line" by entering prohibited airspace over the city. However, the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree denied targeting Makkah and dismissed Saudi reports as propaganda, stating that the group had attacked an airbase in Khamis Mushait and Aramco facilities in Yanbu.

Saudi Arabia has not confirmed these allegations. Despite Saudi Arabia's support for Yemen's internationally recognized government, the Houthis control Sanaa and vast territories across Yemen. Hostilities have surged since the truce began in 2022. In response, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan - allies of the US - signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, pledging closer military and defence cooperation, including a collective defense clause similar to NATO's Article 5.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, affirmed his country's commitment to the agreement but maintained operational details regarding its response to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia as confidential.