PM condemns ‘dastardly and heinous’ attempted drone attack on Makkah, reaffirms support for Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday condemned a ‘dastardly and heinous’ attempted Houthi drone attack on Makkah, saying Pakistan stood firmly with Saudi Arabia in protecting its sovereignty and the sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and heinous attempted drone attack against the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. Pakistan stands unwaveringly, shoulder to shoulder with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the security and sanctity of the Haramain Sharifain – a duty that every Pakistani carries close to their heart,” said PM Shehbaz in a statement on X.

The statement came after Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday before ​it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, while the Saudi-led coalition said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims was a “red line,” vowing that the coalition would take measures to deter further attacks.

Expressing solidarity with the kingdom, PM Shehbaz said that the people of Pakistan were saddened and perturbed by this outrageous act, adding that, “There can be no words strong enough to capture the depth of anguish and sorrow felt by us at this reprehensible and unforgivable act.”

The prime minister praised the Saudi forces for their response, saying Pakistan “salute the extraordinary vigilance, courage, and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Armed Forces” for their “swift and heroic action”.

The premier also called on all sides to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.

“I once again call upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to step back from the brink of further escalation. Our region has already suffered far too much from conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path towards peace,” the prime minister added.

Saudi Arabia issued security alerts ​across parts of the country on Tuesday, including in Mecca and other cities, ‌following ⁠a week of attacks by Iran-aligned fighters that have drawn the kingdom deeper into the US-Iran war.

A Houthi military source denied the group posed any threat to Mecca or other holy sites, in comments ​carried by the ​Houthi-run SABA news ⁠agency on Tuesday.

Read More: Houthi drone destroyed near Makkah as Saudi-led coalition warns threats to holy sites are ‘red line’

The Houthis have seized control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coast overlooking the Bab ​el-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping straits, ​threatening ⁠Saudi oil exports rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz.

The group has announced several major attacks on Saudi Arabia over the past week, including strikes ⁠on ​an air base on Monday that it ​said were retaliation for air strikes on Yemen.

The latest attacks were not the first time the Houthis had targeted Saudi Arabia. On 23 July, the group said it had struck two Saudi oil tankers in what it described as part of a naval blockade against the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has also shut down its East-West pipeline after ​the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war.

Makkah Defence Pact

The recent Houthi attacks came at a time when Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had just formalised their longstanding strategic ties through the signing of the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement”, a trilateral security framework that its proponents describe as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability.

The agreement, signed during the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence, has prompted comparisons with military alliances such as NATO. However, according to security analysts, the pact is intended to formalise decades of existing strategic cooperation rather than create a new military bloc or offensive alliance.

With additional information from Reuters