- Recent Houthi attacks toward western Saudi Arabia have heightened concerns about security of Islam’s holiest sites
- Islamabad reaffirms steadfast support for security, stability and defense of the Kingdom, including Two Holy Mosques
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemns ballistic missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeting Makkah and Madinah regions in Saudi Arabia, including areas in the vicinity of the Islamic holy sites, the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Monday.
The statement followed Saudi interceptions of Houthi missiles on Saturday, when missile debris fell at several locations in western Saudi Arabia, including Wadi Al-Mughammas, about 20 kilometers from the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The repeated attacks toward western Saudi Arabia have heightened concerns over the security of Islam’s holiest sites.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, condemned the Houthi strikes toward the Makkah and Madinah regions on Sunday, describing the security and sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques as a “red line that must not be breached.”
“These reprehensible attacks constitute a grave violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and demonstrate a blatant disregard for the sanctity of Islam’s holiest sites and the safety of civilians,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said, reiterating Islamabad’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its commitment to the Makkah defense alliance.
“Pakistan reaffirms its steadfast support for the security, stability and defense of the Kingdom, including the protection of the Two Holy Mosques, against any external aggression or threat.”
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in the Saudi holy city on Aug. 7, 2026, committing to treat an armed attack on one member as an attack on all. The defense pact marks one of the region’s most significant new collective security arrangements.
Pakistan, which also signed a bilateral defense agreement with Saudi Arabia in September 2025, has warned the Houthis against attacking the Kingdom in recent statements.
Last week, Pakistan’s military said the alliance members would use “all means” if deterrence failed, signaling a readiness to take further action to address security threats facing Saudi Arabia.
