Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti warns of a forceful response if Pakistan or Türkiye joins Saudi Arabia militarily in Yemen. Yemen’s Houthi movement has warned Pakistan and Türkiye against intervening militarily alongside Saudi Arabia, saying it would respond forcefully if either country became involved in the Yemen conflict. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political bureau and governor of Dhamar, issued the warning during an interview with the Iraqi television programme Another Reading. “By God, if Türkiye and Pakistan become involved, we will strike them with an iron fist,” al-Bukhaiti said. He also threatened to “teach” both countries a lesson if they joined what he described as Saudi aggression against Yemen. Al-Bukhaiti said his warning was directed at the governments of Pakistan and Türkiye rather than their populations. He also acknowledged what he described as strong sympathy for Yemen among people in both countries. Makkah Alliance Türkiye says defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia nears institutionalisation The warning comes amid renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and growing attention to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on 7 August. The agreement states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three. It also calls for stronger defence cooperation and collective deterrence. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has described the pact as defensive in nature and said its purpose is to strengthen collective deterrence against external aggression. The agreement has come under renewed scrutiny as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified. Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that it intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards Riyadh, while the Houthis claimed they had targeted “sensitive sites” in the capital and energy facilities in Yanbu. The competing claims could not be independently verified. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has meanwhile signalled that Ankara is prepared to discuss military assistance to Saudi Arabia under the agreement. “Saudi Arabia may need military-level support. As the Makkah alliance, we will take this up with Pakistan and can provide the necessary technical support,” Fidan said. Fidan said Türkiye stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia over attacks on its territory and infrastructure. He also said Ankara did not want Riyadh drawn into the wider conflict between Iran and the United States. Pakistan has also condemned the Houthi attacks and reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said earlier this month that the Makkah agreement could become operational if the conflict spilled into Saudi territory. Pakistan has also said that no military response had been formally discussed at that stage. The Houthi warning therefore comes as the three signatories continue to determine how the new defence arrangement would operate in practice. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said earlier that the members were holding consultations at different levels and that the alliance first needed to strengthen its own institutional structure. The Yemen conflict began in its current phase after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014. Saudi Arabia then led a military coalition that intervened in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. Recent fighting has intensified after a period of relative calm. The Houthis have expanded attacks against Saudi targets while also threatening shipping routes in the Red Sea and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The renewed violence has raised concerns about regional security, energy infrastructure and international shipping. Saudi Arabia has also sought additional defensive support as its missile-interception capabilities face pressure from continued attacks. Post navigation Makkah Alliance Türkiye says defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia nears institutionalisation
