Quick Answer: Pakistan on Thursday denied a New York Times report that its air force jets are being used in strikes against Yemen's Houthis, calling the claim "fake and fabricated." The denial came a day after the paper quoted unnamed Pakistani officials — and as Turkey insisted the Mecca defence pact is "not an attack agreement."
Pakistan's Information Ministry on Thursday rejected a New York Times report that claimed Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets are being used in strikes against Yemen's Houthis, calling the story "fake and fabricated" and urging international media to stop what it called speculative reporting on Pakistani military deployments in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan denies PAF strikes on Houthis at the highest civilian level — the sharpest rebuttal yet to a report that has put Islamabad's delicate balancing act between Riyadh and Tehran under the spotlight.
The row is the latest flashpoint in the fallout from the Houthi–Saudi confrontation that has turned the Gulf into one of the world's most dangerous air corridors. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey agreed earlier this week to rapidly deploy forces to the kingdom under their Mecca Joint Defence Agreement — and every word from Islamabad is being weighed for clues about whether the pact could pull its members into Yemen's war.
Pakistan denies PAF strikes on Houthis: what the ministry said
The ministry's response was unusually blunt. Sharing a screenshot of the Times report, published October 7, it said in a post on X that the story "attributing the employment of PAF aircraft against Houthis is fake and fabricated."
"International media houses are again asked to avoid speculative reporting with regards to employment of Pakistan's military forces under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement," the statement read. "Details of any deployment, if necessary, will be given by the authorities concerned."
The Times had cited a senior Pakistani military official, speaking anonymously, as saying PAF jets were being used in strikes against the Houthis — potentially the most direct Pakistani military involvement in Yemen since Saudi Arabia's intervention began over a decade ago. A second official told the paper Islamabad's role was expected to focus on degrading Houthi drone and missile threats through air support, not a ground offensive inside Yemen.
It fits a pattern. Earlier this week, the same ministry dismissed a Reuters report of 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia as "speculative." Islamabad is drawing a hard line between its presence in the kingdom and offensive combat operations.
What is Pakistan's confirmed role in Saudi Arabia?
Islamabad won't give specifics, but it doesn't deny a presence. Military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Wednesday that Pakistani troops are in Saudi Arabia and have been there "for decades," across multiple domains. He told CNN earlier this week forces were "already there," while declining numbers and details, citing operational secrecy.
On September 18, Chaudhry said Pakistan would go to "any extent" to defend Saudi Arabia and called the commitment "unconditional." Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has promised Pakistan will "practically and diplomatically" stand by the kingdom. Yet Asif also said on Geo News this week that Saudi Arabia had made "gains and recovered some areas" in Yemen — and that while Pakistan and Turkey had a "presence in theatre," only Saudi troops were conducting combat operations.
Turkey's line: 'not an attack agreement'
Turkey, the pact's third member, drew its own boundary on Thursday. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Mecca agreement is "not an attack agreement." "Once a country that is party to the agreement is attacked, you stand by it for its defense. This is not an attack agreement," Fidan said at a press conference in Ankara.
"Türkiye will not send troops to another country's territory and carry out an attack there," he added, saying Ankara was assessing with Pakistan how it could help Saudi defenses against attacks from Yemen. He also said preparations to send the agreement to Turkey's parliament were complete.
Why Islamabad can't afford to be misunderstood
Pakistan's balancing act is one of the region's tightest. It shares a border with Iran — the Houthis' main backer — and has stayed out of the Yemen war since parliament voted for neutrality in 2015. Col. David O. Smith, a former U.S. Army attaché in Pakistan, said analysts estimate around 8,000 Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia, most likely guarding oil infrastructure, and that they are unlikely to see direct combat because Islamabad wants to preserve its Iran ties.
That is why the Times report stung. Any confirmed Pakistani combat role could turn the Yemen fight into a wider confrontation involving Saudi Arabia, the Houthis and Iran — with Pakistan's own Iran relationship as the casualty.
Houthis escalate on Thursday: missile claim, airport toll
The dispute is playing out against a real escalation. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree on Thursday claimed the group hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh "at midday with a ballistic missile that hit its target" — an unverified claim Saudi Arabia has not confirmed. He also told staff at Saudi oil facilities to leave areas that are targets for Houthi forces "so as not to endanger their lives." The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed the missile launch platform used in the Riyadh attack.
Saudi aviation authorities confirmed three people were killed and 36 injured in Houthi strikes on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport on October 6 and 7 — two women dead and 28 injured at Abha, and a Sudanese man killed and eight injured in Riyadh. With journalists shut out of the fighting, claims from both sides remain impossible to verify independently.
What happens next
Three things to watch. First, whether Pakistan gives a fuller accounting of its deployment — the ministry said details would come from "the authorities concerned," and pressure is building. Second, how Turkey's parliament treats the Mecca agreement and whether Ankara's defensive framing holds. Third, whether Houthi threats against Saudi oil facilities and airports become a confirmed strike that forces the alliance toward the offensive action its members keep disavowing.
The alliance's emergency meeting on Monday agreed to "move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments" and rapidly deploy agreed forces to the kingdom. The language is defensive. The stakes are not.
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan's Information Ministry on Thursday called a New York Times report that PAF jets are striking the Houthis "fake and fabricated."
- The Times report, published October 7, cited unnamed Pakistani officials saying PAF jets were being used in strikes against the Iran-backed group.
- Pakistan confirms troops are in Saudi Arabia — there "for decades," the military says — but insists only Saudi troops are conducting combat operations.
- Turkey's foreign minister said the same day that the Mecca pact is "not an attack agreement" and Ankara will not attack another country under it.
- Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree on Thursday claimed a ballistic missile hit Riyadh's airport and warned Saudi oil workers to leave — unverified claims.
- Saudi aviation authorities confirmed three killed and 36 injured in Houthi strikes on Abha and King Khalid airports on October 6 and 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Pakistan's air force strike the Houthis?
Pakistan says no. The New York Times reported on October 7 that a senior Pakistani military official said PAF jets were being used in strikes against the Houthis. On October 8, Pakistan's Information Ministry called the claim "fake and fabricated" and asked international media to avoid speculative reporting on its military role under the Mecca pact.
What is the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement?
Signed on August 7 by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the pact's central promise is that an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all — echoing NATO's core provision. Its first emergency meeting in Riyadh on October 5 activated collective deterrence measures and agreed on the rapid deployment of forces to Saudi Arabia.
Are Pakistani troops in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Pakistan's military spokesman said on October 7 that troops have been stationed in the kingdom "for decades" and operate across multiple domains. Analysts estimate about 8,000 personnel, likely focused on securing oil infrastructure — but Islamabad has not disclosed official numbers, citing operational secrecy.
What did Turkey say about the pact?
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on October 8 that the agreement is "not an attack agreement" and that "Türkiye will not send troops to another country's territory and carry out an attack there." He said Turkey was coordinating with Pakistan on how to help defend Saudi Arabia against attacks from Yemen.
How many people died in the Saudi airport attacks?
Saudi aviation authorities confirmed Houthi strikes on October 6 and 7 killed three people — two women at Abha International Airport and a Sudanese man at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh — and injured 36 others across the two airports.
Why does this matter for the wider region?
Pakistan's balancing act between Saudi Arabia and Iran is at stake. Islamabad has avoided direct involvement in Yemen since 2015, partly to protect ties with Tehran. A confirmed Pakistani combat role could widen a regional confrontation involving Saudi Arabia, the Houthis and Iran — and unsettle global energy markets.
By GlobalDeskNews Staff
Related coverage: Houthis Claim Strikes on Riyadh Airport, Aramco Refinery · Saudi Condemns Houthi Attacks; Pakistan, Turkey Pledge Troops · Yemen Launches Counteroffensive to Retake Sanaa From Houthis
Sources
- Dawn — 'Fake and fabricated': Info ministry rejects NYT report claiming PAF jets being used against Yemen's Houthis (October 8, 2026)
- Türkiye Today — Pakistan calls NYT report of its jets striking Houthis 'fake and fabricated' (October 8, 2026)
- Times Now — Pakistan Enters Yemen War? PAF Jets Reportedly Used In Strikes Against Houthis (October 8, 2026)