Pakistan Yemen support has been confirmed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who stated that both Pakistan and Turkiye are assisting Saudi Arabia in its operations against the Houthis. Speaking on a television programme, the minister made clear that the actual fighting is being carried out by Saudi forces while the two partner nations provide supporting roles.
Asif explained that Pakistani and Turkish troops are present in the theatre and are engaged mainly in reconnaissance and other assistance tasks. “Both countries have a presence here, but the army fighting is that of Saudi Arabia. We are here and providing any assistance they need,” he said. He added that Saudi forces are actively reclaiming territory and that the Houthis have already withdrawn from several areas they captured last month. According to the minister, the Yemeni government now holds an advantage on the ground.
The confirmation followed an emergency meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Riyadh. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye agreed to ensure the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities inside Saudi Arabia under approved arrangements and the national laws of each country. The same meeting formalised the organisational structure of the alliance and appointed Pakistan’s retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood as the first secretary-general of the MJDA for a three-year term.
The three nations signed the Makkah trilateral agreement on August 7. Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is treated as an attack against all three. The latest decisions strengthen the collective defence framework among Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition reported a naval operation in Yemen’s Red Sea governorate of Hodeidah. Yemeni government forces had earlier secured key positions, including an airstrip in the Dhubab district near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthi seizure of that area last month had caused sharp movements in energy markets.
Officials in all three capitals view the current coordination as a practical step toward greater regional security cooperation. With Saudi troops leading combat operations and Pakistani and Turkish personnel providing specialised support, the alliance is moving from paper commitments into active joint activity on the ground.
The defence minister’s remarks leave little doubt that Pakistan Yemen support, alongside Turkiye’s contribution, forms a key part of the current effort to reverse Houthi gains and stabilise the conflict zone.
