Pakistan Warns of Full Force Against Houthi Shipping Attacks

The Government of Pakistan has asserted its right to use military force to protect its commercial vessels and maritime interests from Houthi militia aggression in the Red Sea. Between July 22 and July 23, 2026, Pakistani officials warned that any hostile acts against ships flying the Pakistani flag would be treated as a grave threat to national security and sovereignty.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that Pakistan would respond with full force and decisive military action to defend its assets. This escalation follows Houthi claims of missile and drone strikes against the Saudi oil tankers Ancelia and Laila. Pakistan's stance is reinforced by a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed with Saudi Arabia in September 2025, which treats an attack on one nation as an attack on both. Thousands of Pakistani soldiers are currently deployed near the Saudi-Yemen border to support Saudi Arabian stability.

Despite the warning of retaliation, Islamabad continues to urge all parties to prioritize diplomacy, dialogue, and de-escalation to preserve the rules-based international maritime order and global trade.