Pakistan warns Iran to halt Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Pakistan has warned Iran to use its influence to help halt repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, amid growing fears that the violence could widen the conflict across the Middle East, according to Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources cited by Reuters.

The warning came after a Houthi attack on a military airbase and nearby fuel infrastructure in Saudi Arabia’s southern city of Khamis Mushait on Tuesday injured 73 people. Several other areas, including Abha, Jazan and Najran, were also targeted, Saudi authorities said.

The Houthis claimed Saudi airstrikes had hit multiple areas of Yemen in retaliation. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Saudi warplanes carried out 54 strikes and threatened further retaliation. Missile and drone attacks were also reported in Abha, Khamis Mushait and Jazan on Wednesday.

Pakistan delivered the message to Iran within the past 24 hours, urging Tehran to use its leverage with the Houthis to stop attacks on Saudi territory, Reuters reported.

A senior Iranian official confirmed receiving the message but said Iran does not control the Houthis.

Two Iranian sources, however, claimed Iran had instructed the Houthis last week to attack Saudi Arabia and promised additional weapons and financial support.

Reuters said it could not independently verify those claims.

The developments have raised concerns over a possible direct confrontation involving Saudi Arabia and Iran and the wider spread of the regional conflict.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan could activate their existing joint security arrangements if fighting spreads to Saudi territory. He said an attack on any one of the three countries could be treated as an attack on all three.

Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish military officials have also met in Riyadh to coordinate their response. A Pakistani source said the three countries had agreed not to deploy troops to Yemen and that any military response, if required, would be launched from Saudi territory.

Pakistan has stressed that its role would remain defensive and that no decision had been made to conduct direct combat operations outside the country.