ISLAMABAD – Pakistan strongly condemned Houthi ballistic missile attack on Saudi Arabia, reaffirming its full support for the kingdom’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Speaking at UN Security Council, Islamabad called for restraint, renewed diplomacy and an inclusive political process to restore peace in Yemen while warning against further regional escalation.
The condemnation comes after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement launched ballistic missiles toward Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of carrying out airstrikes on an airport under Houthi control earlier this week. The exchange marks a dramatic escalation and the first publicly claimed Houthi attack on Saudi territory since an informal truce took hold in March 2022.
KSA said its air defense systems intercepted incoming missiles aimed at the country’s southern region. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition described the attack as an assault by the “terrorist Houthi militia.”
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree later claimed responsibility for the operation, saying the group’s forces had targeted Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s southern Asir province, near the Yemeni border. The airport serves as a key gateway to the mountainous region, a popular summer destination for domestic travelers.
At UN, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, reiterated Islamabad’s unwavering support for Yemen’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity in line with the UN Charter and international law.
He warned that mounting tensions and overlapping conflicts across the Middle East underscore the urgent need for dialogue, diplomacy and sustained efforts to prevent further escalation. Jadoon stressed that lasting peace in Yemen can only emerge through an inclusive Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process facilitated by the United Nations and reflecting the legitimate aspirations of the Yemeni people.
Pakistani envoy also expressed deep concern over Yemen’s worsening humanitarian crisis, noting that years of war have displaced millions, crippled the economy, fueled food insecurity and devastated essential public services. He cautioned that any further military escalation would only deepen civilian suffering and undermine hopes for a durable peace.
