Pakistan Deploys Troops to Saudi Arabia After Regional Drone Strikes

The Government of Pakistan deployed 8,000 troops, 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, two drone squadrons, and an HQ-9 air defense system to Saudi Arabia to protect the kingdom from Iranian attacks. This deployment follows a September 2025 mutual defense agreement and is funded by Saudi Arabia. Pakistan is simultaneously attempting to mediate the conflict between the United States and Iran to avoid direct involvement in the regional war.

The military move follows a series of drone attacks on May 17, 2026. Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed three drones originating from Iraqi airspace. Concurrently, a drone launched from the western border of the United Arab Emirates struck an electrical generator at the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, causing a fire outside the plant's inner perimeter. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the incident did not impact radiological safety.

Pakistan strongly condemned the strikes, particularly the targeting of nuclear infrastructure, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described as a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter. On May 20, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, urged the UN Security Council to pursue dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable path toward de-escalation. Saudi Arabia maintains that it reserves the right to respond to the incursions at the appropriate time and place.