Pakistan has strongly denounced Houthi attacks targeting areas near Makkah and Madina, describing the incidents as a serious breach of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said the attacks showed a blatant disregard for the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites and posed a threat to civilian safety.
Pakistan reiterated its unwavering solidarity with Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed its commitment to the Makkah Alliance. It also restated its firm support for the kingdom’s security, stability and defence, including safeguarding the Two Holy Mosques against external aggression and threats.
The Foreign Office also praised Saudi air defence forces for their vigilance and effectiveness in intercepting the attacks.
A day earlier, the Muslim World League had also condemned the reported Houthi attacks targeting Makkah and Madina. In a statement, the Makkah-based organisation said such actions risked hurting the sentiments of more than two billion Muslims and violated Islamic values as well as fundamental principles of humanity.
The condemnations followed an announcement by the Houthis that they had launched attacks on Saudi oil facilities and airports on Saturday. In response, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Yemeni rebel group said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles as hostilities between the two sides intensified.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco facility in Yanbu, the Rabigh oil refinery, crude oil pumping stations and the East-West Pipeline.
He also claimed that attacks were directed at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, an airport in Najran and an airbase in Khamis Mushait.
The Saudi-led coalition stated that it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired towards Yanbu and Taif.
Meanwhile, Saudi Civil Defence reported that debris from intercepted missiles had fallen in several locations across the Makkah and Madina regions. The reported locations included Wadi al-Mughammas in Makkah, along with areas in Jeddah, Taif and Rabigh.
The Houthis later denied targeting Makkah and Madina, maintaining that their operations were aimed at Saudi oil infrastructure and military installations.
The renewed escalation has undermined a United Nations-brokered truce reached in 2022, which had largely halted cross-border attacks between the Saudi-led coalition, backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government, and the Houthis, who control the capital, Sanaa.
