Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to work ‘very closely to maintain regional peace’ after Houthi attacks

• PM Shehbaz says Houthi attacks violated international law.
• Houthis claim missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil tankers.
• KSA confirms tanker Encelia was struck in Red Sea attack.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Thursday agreed to continue working very closely to maintain regional peace, security, and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers.

The agreement came during a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, wherein the premier condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in the strongest possible terms.

The phone call came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi tankers — the Encelia and the Layla — in the Red Sea, while threatening to blockade Saudi ports on the waterway, a key route for oil shipments.

Saudi Arabia confirmed the Encelia had been struck, without commenting on the other tanker.

British naval security monitor UKMTO said the master of a tanker reported being hit by an unknown projectile about 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq, causing a fire that the crew was fighting.

The Houthi threat to blockade Saudi ports raised fears of a potential new front in the US-Iran conflict, compounding the shock of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz over the past five months.

It remained unclear how fully the Houthis could enforce a blockade, but the threat endangered Riyadh’s ability to bypass the strait for some oil exports.

During the phone call, PM Shehbaz condemned the Houthi attacks as unacceptable, saying they violated international law, threatened freedom of navigation and undermined regional peace and security.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia, conveying that he, together with Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the entire Pakistani nation, stood firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and people at this critical time.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and PM Shehbaz agreed to continue working very closely to maintain regional peace, security, stability and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region.

A day earlier, Pakistan had strongly condemned the continued threats issued by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The Foreign Office said such threats undermined freedom of navigation, challenged the rules-based maritime order and jeopardised the uninterrupted flow of global commerce.

The FO said threats against commercial shipping and trade with Saudi Arabia were unacceptable and violated established principles of international law, and expressed concern over reports of threats targeting vessels engaged in lawful commercial trade with the Kingdom.

The statement came amid escalating tensions after the Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

Last week, Saudi Arabia had intercepted ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis from Yemen towards the Kingdom’s southern region. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition said the missiles were intercepted after being fired by the “terrorist Houthi militia” towards southern Saudi Arabia.