Pakistan Confirms Troops Already in Saudi Arabia as Houthi War Escalates

RIYADH (Terror Monitor) — Pakistan’s military has confirmed that Pakistani forces are already stationed in Saudi Arabia in various capacities, as the newly established Makkah Joint Defence Agreement faces its first major test amid escalating fighting between Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and the Iran-backed Houthis.

In an interview with CNN, Director General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistani forces were already present in the Kingdom.

“I confirm that Pakistani forces are already there,” Chaudhry told CNN when asked about Pakistan’s military presence in Saudi Arabia.

Asked whether the troops were deployed under the Makkah Defence Alliance, the Pakistani military spokesman said the presence predates the recently established agreement.

“Troops with different capabilities have been present in Saudi Arabia for decades. The Makkah Alliance did not emerge in a vacuum,” Chaudhry said, describing it as a continuation of the diplomatic, political and military relationship between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.

He added that Pakistani forces with “different capabilities” were already operating in the Kingdom.

CNN reported that Chaudhry did not disclose how many Pakistani personnel are currently stationed in Saudi Arabia, what specific capabilities they possess or whether they are involved in cross-border operations against the Houthis in Yemen. He said the details were classified.

Makkah pact activated amid Yemen escalation

The clarification comes after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to take practical measures to support the Kingdom following a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks and fighting in Yemen.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, establishing a collective-security framework under which an armed attack against one member is to be regarded as an attack against all three.

An emergency meeting of the alliance was held in Riyadh this week as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a major counteroffensive against Houthi positions along the western coast of Yemen and near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

CNN reported that the agreement is being tested for the first time as the conflict threatens to expand beyond Yemen and further involve regional powers.

Pakistan's role remains unclear

While Pakistan has now confirmed that its military personnel are already in Saudi Arabia, Islamabad has not said that Pakistani troops are taking part in combat operations inside Yemen.

CNN previously reported that Pakistani forces in Saudi Arabia have been involved in advising, supporting and training Saudi forces, while Pakistani officials had indicated that Pakistani troops were not entering Yemen at that stage.

The latest comments from the DG ISPR do not establish that Pakistani personnel are conducting operations against Houthi targets inside Yemen. Instead, they confirm a longstanding Pakistani military presence in Saudi Arabia and leave the exact nature and scope of that presence classified.

Saudi Arabia seeks regional military support

The developments come as Saudi Arabia faces increasingly frequent missile and drone attacks claimed by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Reuters reported that Turkiye is providing Saudi Arabia with primarily technical and defensive support under the Makkah agreement, including military equipment, intelligence and air-defence capabilities. The report said Pakistan and Turkiye have also provided military equipment supporting Saudi operations in Yemen.

CNN has reported that the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, with Saudi military support, is attempting to push the Houthis away from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The latest developments could mark a significant expansion of regional involvement in Yemen’s war, although the extent to which Pakistan’s existing military presence in Saudi Arabia will translate into a direct operational role against the Houthis remains unclear.