Pakistan PM calls Houthi Makkah attacks 'red line' at UN

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that further Houthi attacks on the Islamic holy city of Makkah would be a "red line" for Islamabad.

He condemned the strikes in the strongest terms and said any threat to Makkah's sanctity had outraged Muslims worldwide.

Why did Pakistan's PM call Houthi attacks on Makkah a red line?

Sharif said any threat to the safety and sanctity of the holy city crosses a boundary no Muslim can accept. He argued the drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia had outraged Muslims worldwide and warned that no one should even contemplate such an act against Makkah.

"We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Sharif said at the UN gathering of world leaders in New York. "The attempted drone attack on the holy city of Makkah al-Mukarramah has outraged Muslims across the globe. Any threat to safety and sanctity... is a red line that must never be crossed. No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous act."

Pakistan maintains close ties with Iran, which backs the Houthi fighters blamed for firing missiles at Saudi Arabia, where Makkah is located. Yet Islamabad is also strategically close to Riyadh and signed a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey last month.

What recent Houthi attacks prompted Saudi Arabia's warnings?

Last week, Riyadh accused the Houthis of targeting Makkah for the first time since 2017, using a drone that was shot down. The Houthis denied responsibility for the attempted strike.

Saudi Arabia intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles on Thursday after issuing warnings for several regions, including Makkah. These missiles were the latest in a series of escalating Houthi attacks since July, when renewed hostilities broke a years-long truce and drew Yemen further into the wider Middle East war.