Do Not Cross This Line: Sharif’s Mecca Warning As Houthis Test Saudi Pact

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has warned that any threat to the safety and sanctity of Mecca and Medina would be a “red line that must never be crossed”, as Saudi Arabia faces a fresh wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks and its new defence pact with Pakistan and Turkiye comes under its first major test.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Sharif strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and said the reported attempted attack near Mecca had “outraged Muslims across the globe”. Saudi Arabia said its air defences had intercepted a Houthi drone near Mecca earlier this month, while the Houthis have denied targeting the holy city and called the allegation a “heinous lie”.

Sharif said Pakistan stood in “complete solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and stressed that the Harmain al-Sharifain, referring to Mecca and Medina, must remain protected. He also said the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye was aimed at collective defence, stability and peace and was not directed against any particular country.

The warning came as the three countries moved to activate the pact. The defence and military chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye met in Riyadh on Friday, reviewing threats facing the kingdom and reaffirming their commitment to collective defence and the immediate implementation of the agreement. They discussed greater intelligence sharing, military coordination and integration of capabilities.

The timing was significant. Hours after the Riyadh meeting, the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched towards the kingdom. The missiles were reportedly headed towards Khamis Mushait, while the drones were directed towards Riyadh. Saudi civil defence also issued alerts for Khamis Mushait and Abha.

The pact, signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye on August 7, says an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all. However, questions had remained over how far Islamabad and Ankara would go in supporting Riyadh militarily as the Houthi attacks intensified.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said support under the agreement could include intelligence, logistics or ammunition, with wider military assistance depending on the scale of the threat. Pakistan has also repeatedly pledged to defend Saudi Arabia, although the precise scope of any military response has remained unclear.

In his UN speech, Sharif also called for the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab to remain open, describing them as “arteries of the global economy” that must not become choke points of confrontation. The two waterways have become increasingly important as the wider regional conflict disrupts energy supplies and shipping.