Pakistan and Syria Pledge Support Amid Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Syrian officials reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia's security following Houthi strikes on Riyadh airport and Saudi Aramco facilities.
Saudi Arabia is coordinating a regional security response following a surge in Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Riyadh airport and Saudi Aramco facilities. These strikes have caused casualties, including Pakistani nationals, and prompted a series of high-level diplomatic engagements to solidify collective defense commitments.
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, met with newly appointed Saudi Ambassador Dr. Rajeh Tami Albugamy in Islamabad on October 16. Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to safeguarding Saudi sovereignty and territorial integrity, citing the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and the Makkah Joint Defence Alliance. These meetings, which included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, follow an October 5 emergency meeting of the Makkah Alliance for Defence, leading to the deployment of military forces from Pakistan and Turkiye to Saudi Arabia.
Simultaneously, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Riyadh. Al-Shaibani expressed Syria's full solidarity with the Kingdom, stating that Saudi security is integral to the security of Syria and the broader region. Both nations committed to closer cooperation to promote regional stability in the wake of the attacks on civilian facilities.
