Pakistan will be there to defend Saudi Arabia in any conflict: Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Pakistan is prepared to defend Saudi Arabia in any conflict, whether it arises from the Houthis or any other entity threatening the kingdom's security. Asif made these remarks in a video clip, which was reportedly part of a broader interview, published by Al Jazeera. The conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni government has escalated, with Riyadh being drawn into the fray.

The Houthis have declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and have targeted its ships in the Red Sea. Both parties have accused each other of strikes, and tensions remain high.

Pakistan, which has signed two defense agreements with Riyadh, has expressed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia. On September 18, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, affirmed that Pakistan would go to "any extent" to defend Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that Islamabad's commitment to the kingdom's security is "unconditional."

Asif has also previously reaffirmed that Pakistan would provide "practical and diplomatic" support to Saudi Arabia if the situation escalated against the Houthis.

In his latest remarks, Asif stated, "There is no absolutely no doubt in our mind that Houthis are committing aggression against Saudi Arabia." He added that Pakistan is bound by an arrangement to defend Saudi Arabia, meaning that whatever means are available at Pakistan's disposal will also be made available to the kingdom. The use of "arrangement" by Asif was likely a reference to one of the defense pacts signed between the two nations.

The first such agreement, the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA), was signed in September 2025, under which both countries pledged that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. The two countries are also part of the Makkah Defence Alliance, which includes Turkey. The alliance stipulates that an attack on one member state would be considered an attack on all.

During a meeting held last week in Riyadh, the military leadership of the three countries expressed a shared determination to "immediately translate" their commitments under the Makkah Defence Alliance into effective military cooperation. Asif further emphasized that the Houthis are "enemies of Saudi Arabia, and any enemy of Saudi Arabia is an enemy of Pakistan."

He also noted that Iran has not accepted the Houthis as its proxy, but some of these proxies have become rogue, with multiple examples of such entities emerging throughout history.