For years, Pakistan has tried to keep one foot outside the Yemen war. That line may now be getting harder to hold. A senior Pakistani military official
has told The New York Times that Pakistan Air Force fighter jets are being used in strikes against the Houthis, potentially marking the most direct Pakistani military involvement in the Yemen conflict since Saudi Arabia launched its intervention more than a decade ago. Pakistan has confirmed that its forces are already stationed in Saudi Arabia. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military's media chief, told CNN this week that Pakistani forces were “already there”, although he declined to disclose their numbers or capabilities, citing operational secrecy. Islamabad has not publicly confirmed that its fighter jets are conducting offensive missions against the Houthis.
From Defence To Direct Air Support?
The reported deployment comes days after Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey activated their collective defence arrangements amid a sharp escalation in Houthi attacks. The Houthis have launched missiles and drones towards Saudi Arabia, including attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport.
🇵🇰🇸🇦🇾🇪 Pakistan Joins The Houthi War — PAF Jets Used In Strikes On Yemen“The forces of Turkiye and Pakistan are playing a supporting role.” — Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja AsifPakistan's involvement in the Saudi-Houthi war has now crossed a significant threshold.According to a senior Pakistani military official cited by The New York Times, Pakistan Air Force fighter jets are being used in strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen.✈️ From Saudi defence To Yemen operationsPakistan has already deployed military personnel and aircraft to Saudi Arabia under its defence commitments with Riyadh.The current force reportedly includes PAF and Army Air Defence elements.But the latest claim goes further:Pakistani fighter aircraft are reportedly participating in the air campaign against Houthi targets.A second Pakistani official told the Times that Islamabad's role was expected to focus on degrading Houthi drone and missile threats through air support, rather than sending ground forces into Yemen.#Pakistan #SaudiArabia #Yemen #Houthis #PAF #PakistanAirForce #MiddleEast #RedSea #BabElMandeb #Iran #OpGridIndia
— OpGrid India (@OpGridIndia) October 8, 2026
Saudi authorities said three people were killed and dozens wounded in the strikes. Riyadh responded with a major air campaign against Houthi military positions across Yemen.
Pakistan Air Force jets are striking the Houthis in Yemen, according to a senior Pakistani military official who spoke anonymously to The New York Times. Pakistan's military declined to comment. The Times reports that Pakistan and Turkey activated the Mecca defense pact this week to support Saudi Arabia.Col. David Smith, a former U.S. attaché in Pakistan and former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, said analysts believe about 8,000 Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia, though he has no access to classified figures. A second anonymous Pakistani official said Pakistan's role is expected to focus on air support against Houthi drones and missiles, not a ground offensive.The pact follows Houthi strikes on two Saudi airports Tuesday and Wednesday that Saudi Arabia says killed three people and injured dozens, at Abha and Riyadh's King Khalid International. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the group attacked both airports with missiles or drones. The Saudi led coalition says it retaliated against dozens of Houthi sites. The Houthis had not responded.Source: https://t.co/MRL0IU0p64
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 8, 2026
A Pakistani military official cited by The New York Times said Islamabad's role was expected to focus on degrading Houthi missile and drone threats through air support rather than a ground offensive. That would be a significant distinction for Pakistan. Islamabad has long been wary of becoming directly embroiled in Yemen, particularly because the Houthis are backed by Iran, with which Pakistan shares a border and maintains important diplomatic and security ties.
Pakistan's Delicate Yemen Calculation
The reported involvement also comes against the backdrop of a much larger Saudi campaign. Saudi-backed Yemeni forces have launched an offensive to recover territory along the Red Sea, including areas around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The fighting has already displaced nearly 200,000 people in Yemen since early September, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Pakistan's military presence in Saudi Arabia is therefore no longer simply about protecting the kingdom's territory if the reported fighter-jet role is confirmed. It could place Pakistani aircraft directly inside a widening regional confrontation involving Saudi Arabia, the Houthis and Iran.
For Islamabad, that is the difficult part of the calculation: supporting a close Gulf ally without allowing the Yemen war to become a direct confrontation with Tehran. The Pakistan military has not commented on the reported use of its fighter jets. Until it does, the claim remains based on an anonymous Pakistani official rather than an officially acknowledged combat operation.
