ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s United Nations envoy Usman Jadoon this week condemned the recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia’s civilian and economic infrastructure, backing the Kingdom’s right to self-defense and reaffirming Islamabad’s support for its territorial sovereignty.

The statement from Jadoon, Pakistan’s acting permanent representative to the UN, came during a UN Security Council open debate on the situation in the Middle East on Oct. 15. The UN meeting was held as tensions surge in the Middle East, which has been adversely affected by the ongoing US-Iran conflict and intensifying Houthi attacks against civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The spokesperson of the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said this week that Houthi attacks on airports across the Kingdom, including one targeting the Abha International Airport last week, had resulted in 19 deaths and injuries to 364 other people since Oct. 1.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including its civilian and economic infrastructure,” Jadoon said at the briefing on Thursday. “These attacks must cease immediately.”

The Pakistani envoy reiterated Islamabad’s unwavering support for Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense under international law against external attacks.

“Pakistan supports the UN Special Envoy’s efforts toward the resumption of dialogue for a comprehensive and lasting peace in Yemen,” he said.

Jadoon also spoke about Palestine, backing the two-state solution as the “internationally agreed framework and indispensable foundation” for just and lasting peace in the region.

“This international commitment to the two-State solution must be accompanied by concrete measures to preserve the territorial integrity and viability of the State of Palestine,” he said.

He called on global powers to ensure all illegal settlement activities on Palestinian lands must cease, criticizing the “illegal incursions” into the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“In Gaza, continued violations of the ceasefire, wanton killing of the Palestinian population and restrictions on humanitarian access, sadly, continue,” Jadoon said.

Pakistan signed a historic, trilateral defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in August. The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement stipulates that an attack against any of the three nations will be treated as an attack against all three.

Pakistan has warned that continued attacks against the Kingdom will operationalize the pact. All three nations have clarified that the pact is defensive in nature and seeks to promote regional peace.