The landscape of the Middle East has dramatically shifted, with primary attention now focused on the Houthis and the recent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The targeting of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, the spiritual center for Muslims, is no minor event. Although the Houthis have denied responsibility, the situation raises complex questions about hidden agendas, potentially involving Israel’s expansionist ambitions and attempts to seize energy reserves. Donald Trump’s statements regarding oil prices and the Houthis’ contacts with the United States have further deepened this regional crisis, heavily impacting Saudi oil exports and closing vital shipping lanes.
In response to these developments, regional and international diplomacy has intensified. Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have firmly reiterated that Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Saudi Arabia, affirming that the Makkah defense pact can be mobilized when required. Meanwhile, during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Beijing, China urged Iran to influence the Houthis to keep the Bab-el-Mandeb strait open. Given that Saudi Arabia previously exercised utmost strategic patience to shield Iran from regional traps, analysts argue that it is now a test of Iran’s statesmanship to open the Strait of Hormuz and help neutralize regional conspiracies.
