Senior Houthi govt official threatens targeting Pakistani regime with ballistic missiles strikes in Karachi, if Pak carries out military ops against the group to aid Saudis.

Yemen’s Houthis have escalated their rhetoric, warning Pakistan and Turkey that any military deployment in support of Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement would be met with retaliation ‘with an iron fist’. This comes amid fresh Houthi missile and drone strikes on Riyadh, intensifying the regional crisis.

The Houthis issued their warning through senior official Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti in an interview with CNN-News18. He stated that if Pakistani or Turkish forces joined Saudi-led operations, Yemen would respond with severe and immediate military retaliation.

He emphasised that Yemen’s posture remains defensive against Saudi-led military campaigns and economic blockades, but any foreign intervention would be treated as direct aggression.

Al-Bukhaiti drew parallels to previous Houthi strikes against Western naval assets and regional targets, stressing that Yemen would “discipline” any foreign power entering the conflict. He insisted that the Yemeni movement would strike back decisively, invoking the phrase “iron fist” to underline the severity of their response.

The warning followed public statements by Pakistani defence officials regarding the possible activation of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. Signed in August 2026 by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, the pact stipulates that an attack on one signatory is considered an attack on all.

This collective deterrence framework has raised speculation about foreign troop deployments, particularly Pakistani and Turkish forces, into Saudi territory or Yemeni conflict zones.

The Houthis also claimed that the majority of the public in Turkey and Pakistan sympathises with the humanitarian plight of Yemen’s population. They urged both governments to remain neutral and avoid acting as military proxies for Riyadh. The official demanded that Islamabad and Ankara “keep to themselves” rather than escalate the conflict by siding militarily with Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan and Turkey are currently balancing their diplomatic commitments with Saudi Arabia against regional sensitivities. Islamabad has dispatched a high-level delegation to Iran to seek de-escalation, signalling that it is attempting to avoid being drawn directly into the Yemeni theatre. Turkish officials, meanwhile, have maintained close coordination with Riyadh but face domestic pressures over foreign military entanglements.

The Houthi warning coincided with a sharp escalation in hostilities. On 19 September 2026, flames and smoke were seen near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after Houthi missile and drone attacks targeted “Sensitive” sites, including an Aramco facility in Yanbu. Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at the capital, but the attacks underscored the Houthis’ capacity to strike deep inside Saudi territory.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, warning of risks to civilian and energy infrastructure.

The escalation threatens global oil supplies, with Red Sea shipping routes already under strain due to the ongoing US–Iran war. Pakistan’s warning to Iran earlier this month to rein in the Houthis highlights the seriousness of the crisis and the risk of a proxy war spiralling into a broader regional conflict.

The Houthis’ latest statement is therefore both a deterrent and a political manoeuvre. By invoking public sympathy in Turkey and Pakistan, they aim to pressure both governments into avoiding military deployments. At the same time, their strikes on Saudi infrastructure demonstrate their willingness to escalate if foreign forces intervene.

Agencies