Pakistan Air Force fighter jets are reportedly being used in strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen as Islamabad expands its military support for Saudi Arabia following the activation of the Mecca Defence Alliance. A senior Pakistani military official, speaking anonymously, told The New York Times that Pakistani aircraft were taking part in attacks against the Houthis. Pakistan’s reported involvement marks a significant shift in its role in the escalating Saudi-Houthi conflict.

Pakistan already has military personnel stationed in Saudi Arabia, with the number estimated at around 8,000 by US defence analyst Colonel David O Smith, according to the report. Pakistan’s military media chief, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed to CNN that Pakistani forces were present in the Gulf kingdom but did not disclose their numbers or capabilities, citing the classified nature of the deployment. The troops are reported to include personnel from the Pakistan Air Force and Army Air Defence.

The development follows the activation of the Mecca Defence Alliance involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, establishing a collective-security framework under which an armed attack against one member would be treated as an attack against all three. The arrangement was put into operation this week after an emergency meeting of the countries’ strategic political and defence committee in Riyadh, where members agreed to move towards rapid deployment of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.

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The reported Pakistani air operations come as Saudi Arabia faces renewed missile and drone attacks from the Houthis, targeting cities, airports and critical infrastructure. According to the report, Pakistani officials indicated that Islamabad’s role was expected to focus on countering the missile and drone threat through air support rather than deploying ground troops into Yemen. Smith also assessed that Pakistani forces were unlikely to participate in direct ground combat against the Houthis because Islamabad needs to maintain its relationship with neighbouring Iran.

Pakistan’s military has not officially commented on the reported use of its fighter jets in strikes against the Houthis. Islamabad has historically maintained close military and economic ties with Saudi Arabia while seeking to avoid direct involvement in the Yemen conflict because of its relationship with Iran. In 2015, Pakistan’s Parliament voted against joining the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, reflecting its position at the time to stay out of the conflict.

The reported deployment of Pakistani fighter aircraft could therefore represent a major change in Islamabad’s approach to the regional conflict. If confirmed, Pakistan would be moving beyond a defensive role in Saudi Arabia and becoming directly involved in operations against an Iran-backed group in Yemen. The development could test Islamabad’s ability to balance its strategic partnership with Riyadh against its longstanding effort to avoid a direct military confrontation with Tehran.

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