08/10/2026
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08/10/2026
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ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Pakistani fighter jets are reportedly being used in strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces, marking a potentially significant expansion of Pakistan’s military involvement in the conflict, The New York Times reported, citing a senior Pakistani military official.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of operational matters, said Pakistani aircraft were taking part in attacks against the Houthis.
A second Pakistani official told the newspaper that Islamabad’s role was expected to focus primarily on countering Houthi drones and missiles through air support rather than participating in a ground offensive inside Yemen.
The reported involvement comes as Pakistan has expanded its military presence in Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Pakistan has confirmed that its forces are already deployed in Saudi Arabia in multiple capabilities under its defense arrangements with Riyadh.
Reuters previously reported that Pakistan had deployed about 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets and an HQ-9 air-defense system to Saudi Arabia. The deployment included around 16 aircraft, mostly JF-17 fighters, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Col. David O. Smith, a former US Army attaché in Pakistan and former senior Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, told The New York Times that the Pakistani contingent in Saudi Arabia included Air Force and Army air-defense personnel. He estimated that about 8,000 Pakistani troops were deployed and said their presence would likely help protect Saudi oil and other critical infrastructure.
Smith said Pakistani forces were unlikely to participate in direct ground combat against the Houthis, partly because Islamabad is seeking to preserve its relationship with Iran.
Pakistan’s reported air role comes as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces conduct a major offensive against the Houthis around the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with Saudi aircraft supporting operations on the ground.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, along with Turkiye, have activated their new collective-defense arrangements amid the escalating Houthi attacks. Pakistani officials have publicly described Islamabad’s role as supporting Saudi security, while recent statements have not disclosed the full scope of Pakistani combat operations.
Note: The specific claim that Pakistani fighter jets are conducting strikes on Houthi targets inside Yemen is based on the anonymous Pakistani military source cited by The New York Times; I would attribute it in the headline/body rather than present it as independently confirmed fact. This is particularly important because Pakistan has publicly emphasized a defensive role for its forces in Saudi Arabia.
