International Desk //

File photo. Islamabad has stated that, despite recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, Pakistan currently has no plans to take military action in Yemen. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced this on Thursday (September 11). Report by *The Middle East Eye*.

During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said that Pakistan would take action if the need arose under the joint defense agreements signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. However, no military action is currently under discussion.

“There is no such matter under discussion right now,” he said. He made these remarks in response to a question from journalists regarding Houthi attacks on various Saudi cities and energy infrastructure.

Khan added that Pakistan could take action in accordance with the agreements if the situation demanded it and “when the time comes.”

The defense agreements signed last month between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey stipulate that an armed attack on any one of the three nations would be considered an attack on all three.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has condemned the Houthi attacks and urged Iran to exercise its influence over the Yemeni group. At the same time, Islamabad is acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.

The spokesperson stated that there are no plans to expand the so-called ‘Mecca Alliance,’ even though energy supplies have been disrupted due to regional tensions.

Meanwhile, Houthi fighters are advancing rapidly along the Red Sea coast following a renewed intensification of the long-standing, stalled conflict in Yemen. Since clashes with Saudi-backed government forces resumed in the summer, they have been seizing control of one strategic area after another.

According to experts, this Houthi advance could place them in a position to control the shipping lanes of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. At the same time, it would also enhance Iran’s strategic leverage against the United States. Corey Ranslem, CEO of the maritime security firm Dryad Global, said, “The Houthis have achieved a military success that brings them closer to gaining full control over the Bab al-Mandab.”

He added, “It may be easier for the Houthis to exert influence in the Bab al-Mandab than for Iran to do so in the Strait of Hormuz, as the visible US military presence in that area is limited.”

After days of intense fighting, the Houthis captured the historically and strategically important Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday, forcing Saudi-backed Yemeni forces to retreat.

Reports from Arab media indicate that the Houthis also made advances in several other areas during the day-long clashes.

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