IN a 2015 interview, the late former head of the ISI and Mujahid-e-Islam, General Hamid Gul (may Allah have mercy on him), foretold that Yemen would become a “trap” for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey—a snare designed to entangle the Muslim Ummah. Recent secret negotiations between Houthi rebels and the United States have, 11 years later, set a seal of confirmation on General Hamid Gul’s prediction. This clandestine meeting took place at the American Embassy in Muscat. During these talks, while the Houthis allegedly assured the US and Zionists that their ships would not be attacked, they pointedly stated that Saudi oil tankers would not be granted such an exemption.
It is both tragic and condemnable that those who call themselves Muslims would choose not to harm the interests of the enemies of Islam, yet target their own. I have repeatedly raised these questions: How, despite a long-standing blockade on Iran, do the Houthi rebels possess such a vast stockpile of weapons? From where is the intelligence being provided to accurately hit targets deep inside Saudi Arabia? How was the 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline—the economic jugular of Saudi Arabia—successfully targeted by kamikaze drones? A nefarious plan is being executed against the Muslim Ummah. Meanwhile, Washington has refused to enter the war directly.
The fundamental question remains: where are those billion-dollar defence agreements? From the $350 billion deal signed during President Trump’s 2017 visit to Riyadh to the $1.96 billion agreement in July 2026, why has American weaponry failed to stop the alleged Houthi attacks towards Makkah al-Mukarramah? How did Houthi missiles travel 810 kilometres? What “Dajjalic” (diaolical) forces are advancing a calculated plan against Muslim beliefs and holy sites? With the Houthis also controlling Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, including Perim Island, is this a conspiracy to pressure Saudi Arabia into joining the Abraham Accords and encouraging other Islamic countries to follow? Through this column, I also raise the question: is this retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s refusal to grant its airspace and naval boundaries for Trump’s “Operation Freedom”? The truth is, a provocative game is being played because of the stance taken for the liberation of Palestine. It would not be wrong to ask: who is benefiting from this tension? The United States is in a win-win situation. For the US, Saudi Arabia is a “golden goose”. Instead of standing by Saudi Arabia in a meaningful way, the US has simply used the defence deals to approve the potential sale of 48 fifth-generation F-35s valued at $24.3 billion.
If one connects the dots of the current situation, it becomes clear: whose proxy war is this really? Who stands to gain from this grave situation? The United States and the Dajjalic state of Israel. Those in loss are the Muslims, whether they be Shia or Sunni. Although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requested direct intervention from the American President, Trump avoided direct involvement in the war. Instead, through the mediation of Central Command—which is responsible for the defence of the Middle East—he arranged for intelligence sharing between Saudi Arabia and Israel against the Houthi attackers. An appeal for help was also made to the United Kingdom, but the British Government only expressed willingness to send a team of advisers to assist Saudi Arabia in the conflict.
The Crown Prince also visited Egypt, which, it should be noted, has been a member of the Saudi-led “Arab Coalition” established in 2015. Tensions between Yemen and Saudi Arabia have persisted for decades. What, after all, is the core issue of Yemen? What do the Houthis want? Many such questions demand answers. The war in Yemen is, in reality, an extension of the US-Israel war against Iran; this conflict will not cease until the underlying confrontation is fully resolved, as its very purpose is to plunge the entire Middle East into this fire. The indifference shown by Europe and the United States has deeply disillusioned the Gulf region. The old, traditional security umbrella can no longer be relied upon for the defence of the Gulf. The attacks on Saudi Arabia are not mere skirmishes; they represent a nefarious proxy war aimed at destroying Saudi economic installations and peace, while simultaneously increasing pressure on the Land of the Two Holy Mosques.
In Pakistan, the question is being raised as to why the Makkah Accord is not being implemented. The DG ISPR has clarified that the methods for implementing defence commitments are not disclosed at the public level. Makkah al-Mukarramah is our red line. The reality is that no treaty is required for the protection of Makkah. Not only am I ready, but every worker of my party, Tehreek-e-Jawanan Pakistan and Kashmir, stands prepared for the protection and sanctity of the House of Allah, the Khana-e-Kaaba!
Muslims must realise! Israel has fully set the “Dajjalic” stage in the Middle East. First Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and the Iran-Israel war, which has now been expanded in full force into the Yemen-Saudi Arabia conflict. However, Muslims must formulate a strategic plan regarding the protection of holy sites, as the recent attack on Makkah is a warning to the Muslim Ummah. This is the modus operandi of the enemies of Islam. The only remaining objective now is to seize Pakistan’s nuclear programme, which stands as the greatest obstacle in the way of Israeli occupation. Therefore, it must be understood that the firing of missiles towards Makkah is a major warning. This Zionist-Crusader alliance is, in fact, part of a massive conspiracy against Islam, aimed at establishing military and economic dominance over states spanning from North Africa to the Middle East.
—The writer is Chairman, Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan.
