'Absolutely fake': Info ministry rubbishes claims of PAF jets getting damaged in Houthi attack on Saudi base

The Ministry of Information has firmly rejected allegations of Pakistani F-17 jets sustaining damage in a Houthi attack on a Saudi base, labeling the claims as "absolutely fake". In a statement shared on its fact-checking X account, the ministry highlighted social media accounts spreading false narratives aligned with Indian propaganda.

The ministry juxtaposed a screenshot of such a post, marking it as "fake", with the caption "This is absolute (sic) fake. No credible or official source has also reported any sort of damage to PAF JF-17s". The ministry further emphasized that the "deliberate fabrication of damage to PAF aircraft and their alleged evacuation is only a blatant Indian propaganda attempt ingrained in Hindutva deceit and a deceptive mindset".

The deployment of Pakistani forces at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran, aimed at enhancing joint security, took place in April under the terms of a defense cooperation agreement between the two nations. The Saudi defence ministry had previously stated that the Pakistani contingent included fighter and support aircraft, with the objective of bolstering joint military coordination.

Meanwhile, the Houthi group, in recent days, has targeted Saudi Arabia amidst the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran. The group struck King Khalid air base in Khamis Mushait, causing damage to hangars, radar installations, runways, and ammunition stores. Following the attacks, Saudi authorities issued emergency alerts in Khamis Mushait and three other southern regions. However, no attacks on King Abdulaziz Air Base have been reported to date.