Lieutenant General (r) Muhammad Saeed has stated that Pakistan’s military units deployed in Saudi Arabia will restrict operations to defensive actions inside Saudi borders if the Kingdom faces aggression from Iran or Houthi forces.
Speaking on a private news channel’s programme, the general clarified the operational limits of the Strategic Defence Mutual Agreement (SDMA) amid reports that Islamabad had warned Tehran against targeting Riyadh.
A foreign media report claimed that the Pakistani leadership had communicated a clear warning to Iran, with a Pakistani official stating, “Our top civil and military leaders have conveyed to Iran at the highest level that the attacks on Saudi Arabia are attacks on Pakistan. It is our red line.”
The warning follows missile attacks by Houthi forces on Saudi infrastructure, breaking a four-year truce. Reports indicate that Iran has also instructed Houthi forces to close the Bab-al-Mandab Strait if Iranian energy infrastructure is targeted.
Addressing the maritime threat, Saeed stated that the Houthis lack the capacity to completely block the strait. He noted that while their drones and small missiles can cause disruptions that force shipping companies to stop operating, a Houthi escalation will trigger severe, massive Israeli military intervention.
The security crisis directly impacts Pakistan due to the SDMA signed last year, which places thousands of Pakistani soldiers, including air force and air defence units, near the Saudi-Yemen border.
When questioned about Pakistan’s stance if Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia escalate, Saeed dismissed the idea of external offensive operations.
“Pakistan has nowhere stated so far that if Yemen or Iran attacks Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s assets stationed there, such as the PAF unit and the air defence unit will go beyond Saudi Arabia’s geographical borders and start launching attacks inside Iran or Yemen. There is no such agreement,” Saeed said.
He clarified that Pakistani elements will limit their role to intercepting incoming drones or missiles within Saudi territory to protect the country and its holy places.
“If the Houthis start firing drones or anything else toward the Saudis, the air defence elements Pakistan has deployed there will play their role. And if the Air Force needs to be involved, they will play their role,” Saeed added.
He noted that Pakistan will not engage in offensive operations that ruin broader relations with Yemen and Iran, pointing out that Islamabad facilitated multiple rounds of dialogue between the Houthis, Saudis and Iranians in 2018 and 2019.
