Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Calls Houthi Threat to Makkah a ‘Red Line’

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the United Nations on Friday that any further attack on the Islamic holy city of Makkah would constitute a “red line” for Islamabad.

Pakistan maintains relations with Iran, which supports the Houthi movement accused of launching missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia, home to Makkah.

At the same time, Islamabad maintains close strategic ties with Riyadh and signed a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey last month.

“We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Sharif said while addressing the UN General Assembly in New York.

He said an attempted drone attack on Makkah had caused outrage among Muslims worldwide, stressing that any threat to the safety and sanctity of the holy city was a “red line that must never be crossed.”

“No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous act,” he said.

Last week, Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of targeting Makkah for the first time since 2017 with a drone that was intercepted. The Houthis denied the allegation.

Saudi Arabia also intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles on Thursday after issuing warnings for several regions, including Makkah.

The latest attacks come amid an escalation in Houthi strikes since July, when renewed hostilities ended a years-long truce and drew Yemen deeper into the broader Middle East conflict.