ISLAMABAD — Tensions are rising across the region as fresh Houthi strikes hit Saudi Arabia, leaving 73 civilians reportedly injured. The attacks targeted Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, raising fresh concerns over the safety of civilians and critical infrastructure in the Kingdom.
Reacting strongly to the attacks, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he described as “cowardly” strikes against Saudi civilian and energy facilities. “I strongly condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the cowardly attacks by the Houthis targeting civilian and energy facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which have resulted in several people being injured,” Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.
Expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia, the prime minister warned that such attacks pose a threat far beyond the immediate conflict.
“Such reprehensible attacks not only put innocent human lives at risk but also pose a threat to regional peace and security,” he said.
Islamabad also reaffirmed its strong support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, signalling Islamabad’s continued solidarity with the Kingdom amid the rapidly escalating confrontation.
The latest attacks have caused particular concern because of their reported targeting of economic and energy infrastructure. Any prolonged disruption to such facilities could have wider consequences for regional stability and global energy markets.
Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles against Saudi economic and military targets. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree called operation as a large-scale military assault, claiming that the attacks were carried out in response to more than 120 Saudi strikes on Yemen over the previous three days.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a large-scale military operation involving dozens of ballistic missiles and drones,” Saree said.
The claims come amid a rapidly intensifying exchange of attacks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with both sides accusing the other of escalating the conflict. Saudi authorities have confirmed that the Houthi attacks caused injuries among civilians, including women and children, while several locations in the southern part of the Kingdom were reportedly affected.
The latest escalation has renewed fears that the long-running Yemen conflict could once again spill across borders and create a broader security crisis in the region.
The confrontation also places critical energy infrastructure under growing threat at a time when the Middle East is already facing heightened military tensions.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye’s Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August 2026, has gained fresh significance after latest Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The pact states that an armed attack on one member will be regarded as an attack on all three.
With Saudi Arabia reporting 73 civilian injuries, including women and children, Pakistan has strongly condemned the strikes and reaffirmed its support for Riyadh’s sovereignty and security.
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