Pakistan appears increasingly caught in a difficult position as the conflict involving Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi forces intensifies.

The Mecca Pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey has added another layer of pressure, with the agreement committing the countries to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. Islamabad is now facing questions over whether the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could eventually force it to respond.

At the same time, the Houthi push toward Yemen’s Red Sea coastline is raising fresh concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key maritime trade routes. Any major disruption could further threaten global shipping and energy supplies, particularly as the wider Hormuz crisis continues to affect oil markets.

Pakistan has long sought to balance its relationships with both Saudi Arabia and Iran. With tensions rising across West Asia, that balancing act is facing one of its biggest tests yet.

Watch the full report for the latest developments, Pakistan’s dilemma and the growing risks to regional and global energy security.

Mecca Pact Traps Pakistan in Its Most Dangerous War | GRAVITAS 

Iran's so-called “Axis of Resistance” has suffered major setbacks across the Middle East, but Tehran appears to be adapting rather than abandoning its regional strategy.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria disrupted an important part of Iran's regional network, while Hezbollah in Lebanon has also been significantly weakened. Iran's land corridor through Syria has faced major disruption.

However, Iraqi Shiite militias and Yemen's Houthis are emerging as important pillars of Iran's reconfigured regional network.

The report examines how Iran may be moving toward a more decentralized and coordinated model, with allied groups strengthening military and political ties while maintaining their own interests.

The geography is also significant. The Strait of Hormuz remains a crucial global energy chokepoint, while the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Red Sea provide another potential pressure point through Houthi activity.

Iraq has also emerged as a key location for attacks targeting U.S. positions and interests across the region, while the Houthis have demonstrated the ability to threaten Israeli, Saudi and other regional interests.

Iran's Axis of Resistance Evolves | Iraq Militias & Yemen Houthis Become Key Pillars

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels are escalating their campaign against Saudi Arabia, targeting Saudi interests and threatening critical energy and maritime infrastructure.

The latest escalation comes after Saudi Arabia signed a new defence pact with Türkiye and Pakistan, raising questions over how the new alliance could respond to attacks from the Houthis. Reuters reported that a Houthi drone attack targeted Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery, with the fire subsequently extinguished and no casualties reported.

Yemen's Houthis Attack Saudi Targets, Ally Pakistan Watches on 

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a major trilateral defence pact aimed at strengthening mutual security amid growing threats and instability across West Asia.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement brings together three strategically important countries and is being presented as a defensive arrangement rooted in the UN Charter. Officials have stressed that the pact is not intended to create a new military bloc or automatically commit the three countries to offensive operations.

The agreement comes amid escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States, Yemen and the wider Gulf region. Iranian officials have reacted sharply to the pact, with some warning Saudi Arabia that a security agreement with Turkey and Pakistan would not guarantee protection.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Sign Trilateral Defence Pact Amid Iran Tensions

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Mecca Pact Traps Pakistan in Its Most Dangerous War | GRAVITAS

Iran's Axis of Resistance Evolves | Iraq Militias & Yemen Houthis Become Key Pillars

Yemen's Houthis Attack Saudi Targets, Ally Pakistan Watches on

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Sign Trilateral Defence Pact Amid Iran Tensions