Pakistan has warned Iran to rein in its Yemeni Houthi allies after the Iran-aligned group stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, according to Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources. The warning comes as Islamabad seeks to prevent the rapidly escalating conflict from spreading further across the region. Pakistan's message carries particular significance because of its defence relationship with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, placing Islamabad in a sensitive position as tensions rise between Iran and the kingdom.

The Houthis launched attacks on Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, targeting an airbase in Khamis Mushait as well as oil infrastructure in nearby cities. The attacks reportedly wounded 73 people and marked one of the most significant Houthi assaults on the kingdom since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran in February. The escalation has raised concerns that fighting involving Iran and its regional allies could increasingly draw Gulf states into a wider conflict.

Pakistan's warning to Tehran was delivered as part of efforts to contain the situation and prevent further attacks on Saudi territory, the sources said. The development highlights the diplomatic challenge facing Islamabad, which maintains ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran. Pakistan has traditionally sought to balance its relationships with the two regional powers while avoiding direct involvement in their rivalries. Its defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey gives its latest message added weight.

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Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has responded militarily to the Houthi attacks. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Wednesday that Saudi warplanes had carried out 54 airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces during the preceding 12 hours. Saree said the strikes would “not go unanswered and unpunished”, signalling that the Houthis intended to continue responding to Saudi military action. The exchange has raised fears of a sustained cycle of attacks and retaliation involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed group.

The latest escalation is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader regional conflict involving Iran and the United States. The fighting has created a second theatre of war with potentially serious implications for global energy supplies, particularly because Saudi Arabia is one of the world's major oil producers and Yemen lies close to important shipping routes. Any prolonged disruption to oil infrastructure or maritime traffic could increase pressure on international energy markets and add to concerns over supply security.

The situation has also coincided with what was described as the biggest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks between Iran and the United States on shipping in the Gulf region since their war began. The convergence of attacks involving Iran, the Houthis, Saudi Arabia and US forces has increased the risk that separate fronts could become more closely linked. Pakistan's warning therefore reflects broader regional efforts to prevent the conflict from spiralling into a wider confrontation, while Saudi Arabia's military response indicates that Riyadh remains prepared to act against threats to its territory and critical infrastructure.

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